{"id":22526,"date":"2020-06-11T06:45:07","date_gmt":"2020-06-11T10:45:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tellest.com\/?p=22526"},"modified":"2020-06-15T08:15:29","modified_gmt":"2020-06-15T12:15:29","slug":"short-story-the-elf-of-black-iron-lake","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/short-story-the-elf-of-black-iron-lake\/","title":{"rendered":"Short Story – The Elf of Black Iron Lake"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Elf of Black Iron Lake<\/strong><\/p>\n

A Tale by Aaron Canton<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

No reeds stuck up from the water of Black Iron Lake, nor did lily pads rest upon its surface; even the trees pushing against its banks were ill and scraggly. Birds and animals avoided its waters, no matter how thirsty they were, and if a fish had ever swum within its depths, nobody had found any sign of it.\u00a0 In fact, despite the lake\u2019s proximity to the only mountain pass between Vessa and Eastern Blacklehn, few merchants on that route would stop there to rest and water their horses. Only the most arrogant or ignorant ones tried, and when they did, they invariably reported later they and their mounts felt thirstier and wearier after drinking than before. Nobody knew exactly what it was, but it was clear there was\u00a0something\u00a0wrong with the lake, something inimical to life itself.<\/p>\n

Yet there was beauty in it too, at least in the eyes of one Callieflynn Xaxos. The dark-haired elf had just sat down cross-legged on the lake\u2019s sole island\u2014no more than a barren pile of dirt jutting up out of the depths\u2014and smiled as she looked at the water, which had taken on a bright silvery tone in the moonlight. The surface was still, all the way from her little island to the distant bank, and she knew that no matter how hard anyone looked, they could never find so much as a single ripple or wave to disturb its perfect tranquility. There was a cold, clear purity to it. No matter how lively and vibrant the ocean shores near her home forest were, she knew she would never prefer them to Black Iron Lake.<\/p>\n

Just as she was relaxing, she heard faint noises behind her and sighed as she recognized the distant sounds of splashing oars. When her sect had cast her out, she\u2019d refused to tell anyone where she was going, but she knew one priest fancied himself a sort of older mentor to her and had sufficient skill with tracking magics to find her if he really wanted. She\u2019d told Ganellor not to bother when he\u2019d offered to check up on her, pointing out that if he really wanted to keep an eye on her, then he shouldn\u2019t have supported throwing her out of the sect. But apparently he hadn\u2019t listened.<\/p>\n

The sounds of the oars grew louder as she walked across the tiny island and stepped into the water near her own canoe. The drop was steep enough that she was submerged up to her waist after two steps, and the water pulled at her feet and legs as if to leech all the warmth and energy from her, but that couldn\u2019t be helped if she was going to cast the spell she needed to cast. Besides, the water might be draining, but its crisp, cold nature was also bracing in its own way. She drew upon that to support herself as she murmured a soft incantation and then gently stroked the water\u2019s surface with the very tip of her finger. Nothing happened for a moment…<\/p>\n

And then she felt the shadows on the surface of the lake, as clear to her in the moonlight as if they had been cast by the blazing sun. Three of them were in the large shape of canoes typical of elvish war parties; a dozen more were the silhouettes of the elves in the canoes. Finally, there were still others, but she couldn\u2019t say what they were; they were tiny,\u00a0as if of something very small or far away. Birds, perhaps, though she knew of none that would dare fly over Black Iron Lake. Those shadows would be something to investigate once she had been rid of the approaching elves.<\/p>\n

The canoes reached her island a few minutes later. No sooner had they landed then Ganellor hopped out of the first boat and rattled off an incantation. A bright, warm ball of light appeared in his hand, and he held it up while the other elves disembarked and summoned lights of their own.\u00a0 Callieflynn had stepped out of the water by then, and after sighing to herself, she stepped into the little circle of illumination around Ganellor. \u201cYes?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n

Ganellor jumped, and the ball of light in his hand flickered. \u201cCallieflynn!\u201d he said, causing the other elves to turn to them. Callieflynn recognized them all; they were the elves in her former sect, the ones that had thrown her out just two months before. \u201cI\u2019m so glad you\u2019re all right! But what are you doing here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI like it here.\u201d Callieflynn met his gaze before looking at the others. \u201cAnd besides, you lost the right to tell me where to go when you expelled me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s hardly the point,\u201d began Rosenia, an old sage who led the sect and led the others in its secret rituals. \u201cWe couldn\u2019t overlook\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

Ganellor held up a hand. \u201cWe can talk about that later. For now, Callieflynn, you need to come with us. There\u2019s danger coming, and we can\u2019t stay here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe wouldn\u2019t have come here at all if he hadn\u2019t insisted we get you,\u201d grumbled Calence, the sect\u2019s youngest member.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe couldn\u2019t just leave her!\u201d shot back Ganellor. \u201cWhat if the Hooked Talons passed over this lake while they were searching for us? Their chieftain might sense the traces of our magic on her, and they wouldn\u2019t know she left! They\u2019d target her!\u201d<\/p>\n

Callieflynn decided to overlook how Ganellor was using \u2018left\u2019 as a euphemism for \u2018was thrown out.\u2019 \u201cWhat danger?\u201d she asked, thinking back to the little shadows she hadn\u2019t been able to identify. \u201cWho are the Hooked Talons?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA clan of harpies that attacked our temple last month,\u201d growled Rosenia. She snapped her fingers and the ball of light in her hand grew large enough to encompass the whole group, though it was still smaller than other times Callieflynn had seen her cast that spell. In the light, Callieflynn could see Rosenia\u2019s once-fine robe was now ragged and torn.\u00a0\u201cTheir chieftain claims their god wants them to destroy our sect as an \u2018abomination.\u2019 They offered to leave us unharmed if we would tear down our own temple. We refused, of course, but then…\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen they attacked and tore it down anyways,\u201d said Ganellor. \u201cAnd now they\u2019re pursuing us for our \u2018heresy.\u2019 We think we can sneak back to elvish lands\u2014Calence is an expert at concealment magics\u2014but we couldn\u2019t just leave you behind. Especially when my tracking magic showed me you were here, of all places.\u201d<\/p>\n

Callieflynn frowned at Ganellor. \u201cAnd what is wrong with \u2018here\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ganellor looked stupefied, and the ball of light in his hand suddenly went out. \u201cThis place drains magic,\u201d he said slowly, as if speaking to someone who had just been hit in the head. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t just drain the life force of anyone who approaches it; it absorbs their spells as well. Surely you\u2019ve noticed that by now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot my magic.\u201d Callieflynn deliberately stepped into the frigid water, earning gasps from some of the surrounding elves, and whispered a spell. Her shadow quavered, then lengthened, and as it stretched around the other elves, their magic lights dimmed further. \u201cIt\u2019s fine. And I\u2019m perfectly capable of fending off a few harpies.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYour \u2018magic,\u2019\u201d snapped Rosenia in a tone which made clear she didn\u2019t want to dignify Callieflynn\u2019s spells with that particular word, \u201cis obscene. It is vile. It has no place among the elves.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShadow is just as important as light,\u201d insisted Callieflynn. \u201cThere\u2019s nothing wrong with it. Just because you don\u2019t like it\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

Calence snorted. \u201cYou think your shadows will help you fight the Hooked Talons? You can\u2019t use evil magic to fight evil. Your spells will betray you.\u201d He turned to Ganellor. \u201cThis is why we shouldn\u2019t have come here. Our magic\u2014real magic\u2014doesn\u2019t work on this accursed lake. We\u2019re defenseless here. We should get back to shore and make haste for the elvish lands. Even the harpies won\u2019t be able to defeat us there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd we will,\u201d said Ganellor. \u201cOnce Callieflynn agrees to come with. Just because we had a falling out doesn\u2019t mean we can leave her to get killed by the Hooked Talons. We\u2019ll take her\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNobody is taking me anywhere!\u201d snapped Callieflynn. \u201cI won\u2019t be driven from here by a bunch of harpies. If they attack, I\u2019ll fight them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ganellor held up his hands as if to beseech her. \u201cPlease, we can talk about this later. We have to get to shore now, before the harpies find us!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTalk?\u201d Callieflynn\u2019s eyes flashed. \u201cLike we talked two months ago?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCallie\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

Callieflynn slammed her foot onto the rocky soil of the island. \u201cI went to you all that day because I wanted you to know what I knew,\u201d she growled. \u201cI didn\u2019t have to do that. I could have pursued my studies in secret. I knew there was a risk you\u2019d…overreact. But I really wanted to teach you all the magic I\u2019d learned, so you could do it too. All I asked was that you hear me out, and what happened? You decided to expel me. Unanimously.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut Callie\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d Callieflynn spun on her heel. \u201cI told you how important my magic was to me, how important I thought it was for all of us, and you didn\u2019t listen. You just threw me out. I don\u2019t care what you have to say anymore, about harpies or anything else.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ganellor sighed. \u201cYou don\u2019t understand. The harpies are\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

Rosenia stiffened, then rattled off a spell and swept her hands to the sky. Streaks of light soared upwards, and though most of them faded quickly, a few hung together long enough to reach a few circling figures. They were humanoid with large wings, and Rosenia\u2019s eyes narrowed. \u201cThey are here.\u201d<\/p>\n

The harpies cried out in a horrible shriek as the light blasted over them. One answered in an authoritative roar, and they all swooped down towards the island.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

*\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cKeep Callieflynn safe, Calence!\u201d yelled Ganellor as the harpies approached. \u201cThe rest of us will fight them!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t\u2014\u201d began Callieflynn before Calence grabbed her and dragged her to the other side of the tiny island. Taken by surprise, Callieflynn couldn\u2019t stop him from pulling her almost into the water, and by the time she pushed him off, it was too late. The harpies had arrived.<\/p>\n

There were twelve of them, led by a brawny, scarred harpy who Callieflynn guessed was the clan leader. That one had several piercings in his ears and nose and a large scimitar in his talons. Gems in the sword\u2019s hilt twinkled despite the unnatural darkness of the island. The blade itself was also an odd color, obsidian with some kind of finish that shone when it hit the dim lights the elves had cast. The harpy leader pointed it at Rosenia\u2019s head and chanted something\u2014<\/p>\n

Callieflynn\u2019s eyes widened as the harpies were surrounded by what looked like masses of shadow. Their features, their talons, and then their entire bodies were swallowed by an unnatural darkness. The clan leader was the last to be covered, and he managed a twisted cackle as the shadows fully covered his face. Ganellor scowled. \u201cDon\u2019t worry!\u201d he called as the elves took quick steps backwards. \u201cThey can\u2019t overcome our spells!\u201d<\/p>\n

The harpies plunged into the elves before anyone could say anything else. The one targeting Ganellor moved before the others, but Ganellor, who had some training as a ranger, expertly spun out of the way before the harpy slashed him. That harpy missed and slammed into the rocky island with a pained grunt, his talons catching in the dirt. Ganellor grinned as he drew his blade and stabbed it at the harpy in a single fluid motion. The blade connected and sliced through the shadow…<\/p>\n

To no effect.<\/p>\n

The weapon passed right through the harpy and out its other side without the harpy even seeming to notice, and the blade\u2019s pure silver surface didn\u2019t have a single trace of blood on it. Ganellor gaped as the harpy got his talons free, then only barely dodged his enemy\u2019s follow-up slash. And all around them, other harpies dropped and attacked the remaining elves.<\/p>\n

Callieflynn tried to run at them, but Calence pushed her back with an annoyed growl. \u201cLet me go!\u201d screamed Callieflynn. \u201cYou can\u2019t\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, we can, heretic,\u201d growled Calence. \u201cWatch.\u201d<\/p>\n

Two elves jumped at the harpy leader, who was in turn menacing Rosenia. They passed through the leader just as Ganellor\u2019s sword had, but the harpy did flinch back for a second and allow Rosenia time to raise her staff. She belted out several words, causing the end of the staff to glow with a brilliant light, and then slammed that end directly into the leader\u2019s chest. The harpy stumbled back a step as his shadow armor burst away on that spot. Both the elves then attacked the leader while the others cast lights of their own.<\/p>\n

But while all the elves could cast lights, it seemed that only Rosenia\u2019s was strong enough to do anything. The others tried, but their light magic immediately flickered and dimmed as the lake\u2019s anti-magic nature did its work. Few of those lights reached the harpies, and the ones that did were easily shrugged off by the shadow armor. The harpies renewed their attack and Callieflynn\u2019s stomach clenched as they landed hits with talons that\u2014however insubstantial they were to enemy attacks\u2014were perfectly solid when it came to attacks of their own. One elf screamed as a sharp talon stabbed into his shoulder, then cried out again as the shadow on the harpy\u2019s talon flowed into the wound and began to roil. \u201cStop!\u201d he cried as his wound oozed darkness. \u201cPlease, stop!\u201d Other elves who took hits fell as well, and one who collapsed into the water immediately stiffened and then went limp as the lake drew the life force out from his injured body.<\/p>\n

Callieflynn bit her lip. She knew that, in one sense, this wasn\u2019t her problem. The other elves had excluded her\u2014abandoned her. They couldn\u2019t very well claim she had some kind of obligation to help them now. Besides, nobody was paying attention to her except for Calence, so if she could just blind him with a quick shadow spell then she could probably sneak over to the boats and row away before anyone knew she was missing. She\u2019d be fine.<\/p>\n

But…<\/p>\n

The cult may have abandoned her, but she\u2019d still spent a long time with them. Even if she didn\u2019t want to see them ever again, she also didn\u2019t want them to die. Especially not Ganellor. He\u2019d looked out for her, and even if he\u2019d betrayed her later, she knew she had to do the same for him.<\/p>\n

Instead of running, Callieflynn muttered a quick spell and smiled slightly as a shadow leapt from the lake and rushed over Calence\u2019s eyes. He yelped and rubbed at his eyes to clear them, but it was useless, and as he struggled, Callieflynn slipped past him towards the battle. \u201cHarpies!\u201d she yelled as Ganellor and Rosenia\u2014the only two elves left standing\u2014were forced back to the water\u2019s edge. \u201cLet them go!\u201d<\/p>\n

The harpy leader looked at her. Even though they were all covered in shadow, Callieflynn could tell him apart from the others thanks to his sword and his tall stature. \u201cI sense no taint of their foul magic upon you, elf,\u201d he said, his voice sharp and painful in Callieflynn\u2019s ears. \u201cYou are not part of this. You may leave. But the rest must be dealt with for their heresy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI refuse,\u201d snapped Callieflynn. She muttered a few words and summoned a ball of twisting shadow, somehow darker than the night around her, into her hands. \u201cLast chance. Leave.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFool.\u201d The harpy raised his sword. \u201cKill her!\u201d His soldiers rushed at Callieflynn, one leaping ahead of the rest and clawing at the elf\u2014<\/p>\n

But Callieflynn cast another quick spell and drew the shadows of the lake around her. Coldness blasted into her, a deep, bone-chilling freeze that seemed to drain the heat away from her body, but instead of struggling against it, she leaned into it and let its magic flow through her. And as she did, she drew upon it just a little, taking some of that coldness for herself. The lake took her warmth, and she replaced it with the clean, cold, pure energy she had studiously trained herself to use. By the time the harpy reached her position, she was ready.<\/p>\n

She threw herself to one side with a strength she had not previously possessed, and as the harpy turned to take another run at her, she snapped out her wrist and raised her hand slightly. The darkness of the lake responded to the darkness in her and obediently flowed up and over the harpy. Then she made a slight waving gesture, and the darkness vanished\u2014taking with it the harpy\u2019s shadow armor. The harpy gawked, suddenly defenseless, and when Callieflynn surged at him and smashed him into the lake, he couldn\u2019t resist.<\/p>\n

Then she was charging into the other harpies, shadows leaping from her hands as she did so, and a fierce grin flashed from her face moments before her own shadow armor covered it. She stepped over the wounded and collapsed bodies of her former friends with ease, feeling their positions with their shadows and trusting her instincts to avoid running into them. She \u2018felt\u2019 for the locations of the harpies in the same way, and whenever they slashed or stabbed at her, she always managed to push just out of reach. The magic of the lake, warped as it might be, was hers to command, and she felt inexhaustible as she slipped around yet another harpy\u2019s attack. She raised one hand, and a mass of shadow rose from the lake and swallowed the harpy before pulling its armor off\u2014but when she happened to look down and see a badly wounded elf lying at the harpy\u2019s feet, she changed her mind and clenched her fist instead. The shadow smashed through the harpy\u2019s armor and pressed against his body, leeching away at it until there was only a withered husk left to tumble silently to the ground.<\/p>\n

\u201cCallieflynn!\u201d<\/p>\n

She turned to see Ganellor fall to one knee as his sword slipped from his bloodied hand and the harpy leader howled in triumph. Ganellor fell back, wincing, as Rosenia struck at the enemy with blasts of light. The leader, however, batted away the lights with his peculiar sword before flying over their heads and slashing Rosenia in the arm. She screamed and dropped her staff, allowing the harpy a chance to strike\u2014but Callieflynn was already rushing over. She quickly whispered a few words to raise a mass of shadow from the lake, and then pushed it at the harpy.<\/p>\n

But the leader stepped out of the way and slashed the shadow with his sword. The darkness suddenly disintegrated away as the leader looked at her. \u201cSo,\u201d he said. \u201cYou know some magic. True magic: not what they teach.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI do,\u201d growled Callieflynn.<\/p>\n

\u201cHmm. Interesting.\u201d The harpy leader chuckled as he raised his sword. \u201cI\u2019d let you join us, but now you\u2019ve hurt too many of ours. I\u2019ll settle for sacrificing you alongside this heretic.\u201d He gestured at Rosenia, who was slumped in Ganellor\u2019s arms, and then turned back to Callieflynn. Both looked at each other for a few seconds\u2014and then both cast.<\/p>\n

The shadow magic in her writhed and spasmed as the harpy tore at it. But she had magic too, and even as she dragged at the leader and his armor, she kept part of her focus on herself. She worked with the shadow, moved with it, and stepped with it even as the harpy tried to force it from her body. Across from her, the harpy leader did the same thing, but his steps were just a little less sure. She had him, she thought, as she pulled at more darkness from the lake to add to her strength; if she could just hold on for another minute or two\u2014<\/p>\n

The harpy yelled and thrust forward with a wing, and then a wave of freezing blackness slammed into Callieflynn with such force that not even she could push through it. She almost tripped as she stumbled back, and even while she fought to keep her balance, she saw the harpy leader charging her. He was moving too fast for her to draw any more energy from the lake, but if she retreated, she\u2019d leave Ganellor and Rosenia open since they were directly behind her. She stood still for an agonizing moment.<\/p>\n

Then she leapt into action.<\/p>\n

Shadows swept around her, pulled from the lake, the island, and even the bodies of the collapsed elves and dying harpies. Rather than absorb them, though, she let them mask her as she twisted just to one side. She was almost too late and felt the edge of the harpy\u2019s wing glide against her as he raced into the shadows she\u2019d drawn. He began to turn even as he passed her\u2014<\/p>\n

But she\u2019d already scooped up the sword Ganellor had dropped, and as the harpy twisted, she was already stabbing it into his chest. At the same time, she grabbed at his shadow magic with all her remaining strength and drew it into herself, wincing as it hit her\u2014it was even colder than that of the lake\u2014but still managing a fierce smile as the shadow faded from the spot where she\u2019d stabbed him. The harpy leader, no longer intangible, let out a horrible cry as the sword pierced his heart.<\/p>\n

Then he fell, and it was over.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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 <\/p>\n

\u201cAre you sure you don\u2019t want to come back with us?\u201d<\/p>\n

Callieflynn shook her head. It was the next morning, and the surviving elves were preparing the boats to leave. Callieflynn finished helping Ganellor load the body of the last fallen elf into the bottom of the nearest boat\u2014the harpies had already been pushed into the lake and vanished into nothingness\u2014before gently saying, \u201cThat ship sailed, Ganellor.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut Rosenia meant it when she said we\u2019d welcome you back. Look, we get it\u2014we made a mistake. Your magic is powerful, and ours can\u2019t do everything. If you teach\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not about power,\u201d said Callieflynn in a soft tone. \u201cMy purpose in showing you the magic wasn\u2019t to make us all strong enough to carve out some kind of kingdom. I just…I thought we were all studying together, and I learned something I thought was important and wanted to show it to the rest of you. And you all said you didn\u2019t want to hear it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ganellor clasped his hands together and fixed a winning smile on Callieflyn. \u201cBut we want to hear it now\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause you\u2019re interested in the magic. Not because you respect me any more.\u201d Callieflynn sighed. \u201cMaybe someday. But not now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ganellor met her gaze for a moment and then looked away. \u201cWell…all right. If you insist. But even so, can we at least take you to the shore? It must get lonely being on this island.\u201d<\/p>\n

Callieflynn managed a little smile at that, then knelt and let a hand trail through the water. It pulled at her and she pulled at it, and the bracing cold of the water\u2019s energy helped cleanse the tension from her body. \u201cIt works for me,\u201d she said. \u201cThank you, but I\u2019m fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

She watched them go and remained looking in their direction once they\u2019d sailed into the early-morning mist that always covered the lake. She hadn\u2019t been lying when she offered to return to the cult in a few years, she realized. Maybe she would. But in the future. Not at the moment, when the wounds were still fresh.<\/p>\n

After another minute, she sat cross-legged on the island\u2019s shore and let her senses once again drift over the hard, cold purity of Black Iron Lake.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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