Silvertree Chronicles Bk. 05 Pt. 01

Jarronus sighed, "Jazzia worked to save them, as had many champions before her and many family members before they were champions. By helping the Dragons it may have helped the elven people, but it slowly destroyed the Silvertree house. I feel no need to help them finish the job."

The Master Trainer nodded, "Alright, you have had an emotional day. Thanks for working to keep the villagers at bay and not killing the idiots outright. You get some rest."

---

The Master Trainer rode out. He knew the other students he had graduated out were intimidated by young Silvertree. Jarronus had never competed in a tournament but his former students warned off any candidate of talent once they graduated and were named Grand Masters.

Each of those 2 students won tournaments, while Golden Claw won the last two of them. They finished first and second in those three tournaments. Driven in part by constantly being beaten by Jaronus in training.

They let others know they thought the Master Trainer was not in his right mind taking on a fully trained Battle Sorcerer as a Blade Singer. Pointing out he was never in a tournament while omitting the fact that his Moon Blade kept him from being in a tournament.

Each still hoped to get awarded the Master Trainer's ring, Golden Claw especially as he won 2 tournaments. Goldeagle knew what was going on and why.

Sidnar'via Goldeagle had set up his will so there was only one choice and it was a student who had yet to graduate. The next champion, given everything he had seen. He also set it up so if anything happened to him his student would be evaluated.

If he was found to be a Grand Master by the head of the Blade Singer council in one-on-one combat then the ring would belong to young Silvertree. If not, it would remain unassigned for a hundred years. It would be awarded in a tournament that could not include any of his previous students or their students. His punishment for the disrespect they showed their former master.

---

That evening Jarronus went to sleep in his room at the estate. A place that he felt he did not belong. He found himself back at the falls but knew it was a dream. He knelt at the water's edge but said nothing.

Finally, a voice spoke to him, "We know you feel alone."

Jarronus shook his head, "Am alone. Eldar at least had something to run away from in his father's lack of attention. Brannar as well. I do not even have that. I am considering dropping the Blade Singer training."

The female voice of the Lady of Dreams asked, "Why?"

Jarronus looked up at the Lady of Dreams. "It requires faith in the Gods and the elven people that I am not certain I have anymore. Given everything that was taken from this family. I am having a hard time seeing where our people are worth fighting for after my trip to Quatarsia.

I saw hatred and hostility. Not Eldar's goal. Even his legacy has been corrupted. Tell me you see a people worth saving and then why? Then put it into context. I have nothing to lose if the elven people cease to exist. Nothing to gain. Money is pointless. The one thing I did not want today was to be trapped in a room with dragons. My family went to pieces following the efforts to help them survive."

She sighed and nodded, "What corrupted your family?"

Jarronus looked at her, "Money and power. Greed for both. Why I am considering not even having a family. What caused their downfall, not the family, the champions! Taking on efforts that ultimately saved other races and our own while sacrificing our family in the process."

She smiled, "Then try to live for love. Each of the stories of the champions is different. There were many things not in that journal that are not relevant to this conversation."

Jarronus chuckled, "Too young. Love leads to children. Children lead to the death of the blade wielder and death of all but one of the children. That is the lesson learned. In regards to Silvertree heroes and champions anyway. I read Jazzia's note in regards to her children which proved to be true."

She sighed, "That is not always the case. Do you remember the story of House Silverbar?"

He nodded, "Yes. You know I know it. The similarities are not lost on me, but they were not champions so it is not an accurate comparison. I have no other Silvertree's in the Academy either. Mother said you would come for me.

Likely to do something extremely dangerous to ensure my house finally dies. Jazzia's note in the Journal said not to trust you in regards to children. At least her son's excerpts alluded to that."

She groaned out, "Her 'I told you so clause.' Her son still lived 500 years and no I do not wish to talk about the other 5 who did not live to be 100 years of age. We want your house to live. We wanted it free of corruption."

He smiled, "A dead house is free of corruption. Of course, that means one less Moon Blade. Given all the ones that came back the loss of one is not a big thing. It could be assigned to another house through the ceremony."

She turned his face toward her, "We want you to regrow your house."

Jarronus looked at her, "Be specific in what you want please. Jazzia put another note in the journal that she felt like she had no say in her life with the Gods. She did not go into why. Just that it was a time where she thought it was better to be dead than to have no say. I am feeling that right now.

I get that with the skills you have given me you are wanting a champion. I am not asking what is in it for me. I am asking what does it give my house, the elven people that it cannot get from another? Also, if you would. Tell me what it has to do with the dragons wanting to see me today?"

She smiled, "There are other Silvertree descendants out there. They are not elven. They are dragons. Jazzia had 12, not 6, the source of that entry. Those 6 are distant great uncles of yours. The dragon god Bahamut tried to steal her to be his champion. He gave her abilities.

A very maneuverable dragon form, the ability to cast draconic magic. To stop the transition and to keep her alive the children were divided. She pursued the same targets for all of us. Her father killed a 5,000year-old champion of his nemesis. She was skilled in battle, a draconic silver sorceress, and Blade singer as you know, and married a silver half-dragon. One got away from that final battle."

Jarronus looked at her, "The Draco-lich. Why will you discuss this entry but not the other one?"

She sighed, "He has been trying to get followers. Tough to do with the metallics raiding every chromatic dragon they can find. I was not happy about her having that entry, I saw this potential conflict occurring."

He sighed, "He has taken on human followers instead. To find a way to repeat the process. He needs an undead army. The years of human wars and the advance stopped by the great river. I would like to talk with her. I want to know what her thoughts are on all of this."

She sighed, "Part of it. The Drow are readying to return. As are the giants, orcs, and ogres. She made a request years ago when 3 of her elders, Eldar, Brannar, and her father Travious's spirit visited her to never be called upon to do those activities."

Jarronus sighed, "We have no chance of stopping them. Our allies are still weakened from the last war. We have a shell of an army. The drow will go it alone and with the army being a fraction of the size it would need to be it will be a massacre of the elven people. The only thing that will allow them to survive, is to run away."

She shook her head, "The drow do not have those kinds of numbers. The orc's, Ogres, and giants are the bigger problem but they work together under this Draco-lich."

He groaned out, "You want me to go after this Draco-lich alone? There are no Shadow Riders, no Gray Blades, No Knights, and no time frame. We are working in the blind here. This also means I have no time for a family to rebuild a house on the brink. Does the Queen know that this is coming? Other champions on the field taking on this same problem?"

She looked at him, "Like Eldar, there will be another elven champion on the field. They will deal with things here. You will have to leave in over thirty-five years. Attacking behind the lines."

He glared at her, "You are talking about restarting the Knights! No, I want nothing to do with dragons."

She nodded, "To some extent but smaller. You are supposed to be reverent to be a Blade Singer."

He groaned, "That is what the dragons were there for. They want me to work for them. This goes back to my fractured faith in things and questioning if I should continue to be a Blade Singer. After everything, I have read. You are widening that gap at the moment."

She shook her head, "Not this time. Those days are over. This would be working with you. Including a Silvertree who is a dragon champion."

Jarronus sighed, "If Jazzia claimed him and is of elven blood then he could continue on with the sword when and if I die in this fool's errand."

She sighed, "He is a dragon and not of elven blood because of changes that were done with his birth. He does want to work with you."

Jarronus gave a sad chuckle, "Them trying to pay us back for saving their collective asses. Yet AGAIN."

She sighed, "There is some truth to that. Lord Regal had to deal with the hard realities of his world shrinking and it took some bizarre turns. Getting his daughter, a full gold-dragon mate took some time. She will be Queen when this occurs. He is dying. He knows this."

Jarronus shook his head, "He should have no part in any of this. He is a liability in the field and his ability to give up any measure of control has been mixed at best. He is a total fuck up as a leader that nearly destroyed the world. With allies like him, who needs enemies."

She groaned, "All valid points but he is there King."

Jarronus looked at her, "Unless he steps down or is declared an enemy so we could put him out of his misery. I will not work at all with him. I hear the words dragon business from any of them and I will not work with any of them. Reverence or not."

She sighed, "Something to discuss on him stepping down. They are allies, they do not have the most consistent record. Your sense of humor is bordering on morbid."

Jarronus smirked, "Is that why I am a storm sorcerer. To keep them from trying to steal your champion again? As to my sense of humor, comes from having no family so I am surrounded by morbid right now."

She sighed, "I suppose there is a measure of truth in you being storm born, but they are also vulnerable to electrical damage. Brannar helped to kill one of them with electrical damage. This depression can be overcome."

He looked at her, "My instructor is wanting me to teach others."

She nodded, "After or take them in the field with you would be better."

Jarronus laughed, "There never is an after. If I can wait to train them until after then I can wait for having a family until after."

She sighed, "What would it take to get this fixed?"

He looked at her, "Eldar, Brannar, Travious, or Jazzia talking with me about it. At least one of them. Their thoughts on the state of this house."

She sighed, "They are all angry about the state of this house after everything they sacrificed for the eleven people."

He sighed, "At least I know that much. That is not just me, I bring that voice for all of them. I will refuse to be a pawn to these dragons. They should be facing these dragon champions and this Draco-lich alone, not with me.

I will at least hear them out, but I should be nowhere near this as this is their fight. I should be here to protect the elven people, not out in the world trying to bring back an ancient society that has broken down twice in failure because of dragon involvement in overriding our people's best interest.

I cannot believe I am even considering talking to them, but let me break this down. This group would have to be mostly human! Of all in the alliance, they have proven to be the most unreliable. Almost exclusively human. That will lead to failure.

Elves will stick out with the makeup of the world. That will lead to failure as they will know right where we are. We will be hunted, blocked, cornered, and killed. Elven warhorses will be a problem. Unless we plan on trying to feed the Draco-lich to see if it gets an upset stomach and dies.

WAIT...the stomach is gone! What was I thinking? Never mind. Restarting the Knights is a crazy plan doomed to fail. At least as long as that Gold King lives, maybe killing him would be in our best interest."

She shook her head, "No, you cannot kill him, he will likely die before this mission starts. Dragons will go. It does not have to be exclusive humans but the number of elves would have to be small. No more than 10 out of a 100."

He sighed, "10, plus a few dragons at most. That makes 80+ members of this team that need to be unpredictable and unreliable humans. Humans who are not going to want to stab us in the back or who are incorruptible.

We scour the planet we might find 80 humans individually who are like that. Yet, they may not have the skills we would need and we have no way to find them. Dwarves stick out worse than elves. We bring fae people or centaurs and they know we are coming and that is death.

Let's say we succeed in locating them, we bring in a strike force against a Draco-lich that could have hundreds of bodies lying around waiting to be filled. Unless the dragons are willing to throw every dragon they have at the target, it will be a nightmare of our people being slaughtered.

We find them we bring in this epic strike force. It would have to be human clerics and Paladins unless we have to go to sea. Then we are totally fucked. Potentially under it is even worse."

She sighed, "You will not know that until you talk with the dragons."

He sighed, "Will I be kicking out multiple offspring? Will they die in mass like the last two champions and the heroes in between? Let alone the string of non-hero wielders this sword has followed for the last one over 1,000 in decline."

She looked at him, "We are expecting you will have a couple of wives maybe more and twins are highly possible to rebuild your house. I cannot say they will all live but the majority will if you have them."

He groaned. "Define live. On average, how many will reach the age of 300? Still less than half of the elven lifespan."

She smiled, "Too many variables to calculate that far out."

He groaned, "This house could be dead in a generation then. You're going to try and force a champions code on me too. As I said. I have read those over and over. I saw my mother's concerns."

She sighed, "Not if you do things to address the problems."

Jarronus shook his head, "Then there is the whole amulet issue. Will I be casting draconic magic?"

She looked at him and sighed, "We would like to see you get something with at least a small constitution increase. We cannot speak to draconic magic yet."

Jarronus looked at her, "I will never marry then. I will be breeding with humans and creating half-elves everywhere. Wielders for the sword but all illegitimate."

She glared at him, "You can have elven wives."

He looked at her, "Who wants me fucking around while I am away. I won't consider them if this constitution issue rises again."

She sighed, "It could happen. I beg you to reconsider that."

Jarronus laughed, "I can guarantee it will happen. If this constitution amulet stuff carried forward over the millennium then it will. I will not consent to a constitution item, EVER."

She shook her head, "It should not be as prevalent. Too many generations. We will not know for sure until you choose and wear an amulet."

Jarronus looked at her, "I could have a constitution item built into a ring or belt instead and wear a different necklace. Something I can take off so I am not trying to fuck all night long. I think I will forgo an amulet all together. "

She groaned, "You need to get an amulet. What would you get?"

He looked at her, "I have one, it's just not magical."

---

She sighed and thought out, "Allowing that journal entry is causing all of these problems with this champion."

She heard back from Corellon, "Your action made that entry and put him in this frame of mind. It is your mess to clean up. You need him to work to remain a Blade Singer, else all is lost. This mission behind the lines is secondary to that goal.

You have to shore up his faltering faith in us, else you will have succeeded in destroying this house and earned my wrath if it does fail. You wanted to be my messenger to champion. Then you have to fix this mess."

---

The Lady of Dreams asked him, "Your faith in Corellon has not faltered. Has it?"

Jarronus sighed, "No, I still believe in him, but if he is going to order me to marry, get a constitution item, fuck like like a rabbit to have children just so you can kill them off while they are young, then I will stop training as a Blade Singer. As I don't see that as being in the best interest of the elven people."

She sighed, "I will not force you to get a constitution item. I will not trick or modify the item to have that ability. I cannot guarantee that it has gone away from your genetics until you add a magical amulet. You could get it on something else besides the amulet.

As to your children. If you have them, legitimate children, then I will work to see many of them have long lives. If you have illegitimate ones, I will do what I can for them but if they are elf-blooded then I could not guarantee that, as they may not follow us. I cannot give you a number because there are too many variables. I will make you that promise, one I did not give Jazzia even. But you must remain a Blade Singer."

He sighed and looked at her, "Amulets, something to help with my caster abilities and provide death ward with no HIDDEN constitution bonuses. Better yet something that provides enhanced non-detection capability. Yes, I have read that journal a lot and know I am going to be hunted and likely soon! Yes, I saw that entry too. Can I ask why you messed with Jazzia that way?!"

She ignored the question about Jazzia, "A belt then, for the psychical attributes. While the amulet would work for mental."

He shook his head, "I have a ring from the cache of rings for freedom of movement. Even one with no house symbol. New cloak with resist, protection, and minor displacement. I will get the Blade Singers armor redone to remove house insignias if I am relocating outside of elven lands--that I am not certain about yet.

I am not agreeing to restart the Knights at this point. It is too soon, It is to restart my family or It is to restart the Knights. You are saying my family comes first. I will look to add a robe of magi effects into it. I have the money, I might as well commission a relic or two.

Get a death ward on a belt. Get the physical attributes on a ring with NO constitution increase. If one occurs, I will never marry. That is my champion's code.

I do not want to be a breeding stud. I know the next ability for the sword. One that checks for sanity! I wish I knew why you will not talk with me about Jazzia."

She sighed, "We have no champions code on you or any future champion, we found that to be a bad idea because of what happened with Jazzia. Time for you to wake."

---

She sent him back and Corellon showed up, "You sacrificed the mission potentially to get his family rebuilt. The family you helped to destroy. But you got him to stay on as a Blade Singer, now we just have to keep him from going rogue or turning in his ring.

He will become a Master Trainer now most likely, that would keep him out of combat. we pull that from him and he will assume he will die in this engagement. You see the mess you have created now. Stay on top of it and keep your word."