As she spoke
the words taught to her in that dream, a doorway of glowing light
appeared in the trunk of the Tree. It was only wide and tall enough to
accomidate a truefolk, but each of the dragons could change form, even
as weak as he was FeyFriend could easily become an elf. One by one the
entire defending army marched through the doorway followed by
FeyFriend, then FeyMoon and finally TowerFriend. He had been marching
the perimeter of his one-sided wall checking to make sure it wasn't
dispelled or breached and to breath and cast spells from the safety of
it's defense until everyone had safely reached FeyMoon's glade.
"I have failed you. Many I swore to protect are dead by my
negligence. I rushed to avenge your King, my friend and forgot to honor
him as he would have wish by protecting his people. I have failed him.
I hope in time both you and his eternal spirit can forgive me. Here you
may begin again. May the Tower we build here last forever," FeyMoon
announced to the surviving elves of TreeHeart. Queen Arakin stepped
from where she had stood with several of the elders accounting for the
people of the city.
"We have lost a third of our loved ones, but thanks to you
we survive. We will gladly share your home and welcome you to live
among us as you are not only our friend but our savior and angel. This
Tower will be known as MoonReach, since you reached out and plucked us
from our doom, and you golden lady will be called ElvenAngel," said
Queen Arakin, in a strong and commanding, but still soft and thankful
voice. This statement brought a rousing cheer from the exhausted elves
and fey.
"Please rest. I will watch over you tonight. There will be
time enough to settle scores and finish this another time. For now heal
and rest. The Tree of Life is untouchable. The Tower and town may be
lost, but the Tree is eternal," said FeyMoon, to Queen Arakin as much
as to her people. She was uncomfortable with the new name, but very
honored and it seemed to suit her. After the elves had been settled and
the fey had returned to their homes, the Queen finally allowed herself
to rest. TowerFriend and FeyMoon got a chance to speak alone. She told
him of her curse on Lord Hirpats and her fear FeyFriend would never
reach full maturity though he would live a long and healthy life.
"We need to destroy the entire band of them while they are
gathered in a single place. Now may be our only opportunity to catch
all of the Lords who turned on my father at one time," hissed
TowerFriend, as he and his mate sat in her lair in dragon forms.
"The Lords aren't there, and if they were slaying them all
wouldn't solve anything. More would come, or their children would take
up their banner. Such things are inevitable, but we saved many people,
that is what's important," replied ElvenAngel, in her most soothing
tones. Saranti wouldn't be soothed, he yearned to return to the battle
and see it to it's conclusion.
"Their armies are all there, we could set them back
decades by slaying all those loyal to them. That would teach others not
to follow these men," answered TowerFriend defiantly.
"We have already set them back decades. Those warriors
follow money, you're not going to teach them not to do that," she spoke
very quietly.
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"So they
destroyed a Tower, we will build a new Tower. A grand city will stand
from the ashes of the town they burned. That is how one measures
success in the long run of history, not who killed more people in which
battle. For Lord Hirpats all he has is history, let vengence be
enough," said FeyMoon in even more soothing tones. TowerFriend couldn't
settle for simple revenge, he felt he needed to eradicate the army from
the face of the world, but knew she was right.
The armies burned the town and looted the Tower, but found
few treasures, thanks to the efforts of the defenders. They fell to
squabbling over the slim pickings and scattered to their respective
lands. As FeyMoon had predicted the giant host posed no further threat
to the people of the forest.
For months afterward Saranti lashed out in rages and fell
into depressions at irregular intervals. He was angry and sad, he had
nothing but his sister, mate, and children. His sister had given
herself to working for the elven people from an early age, as much as
he had given up on them entirely. His children would grow without him.
Already they scattered among the elves and saw their parents
irregularly. FeyMoon had become more and more distant. They still loved
one another, but her interests seemed to take her away from him more
and more. His own personal pain drove him nearly to insanity. He felt
like he needed to hurt something and was afraid it would be her when it
happened. So he left a letter in the writing of wizards for her to find
in their lair and left to discover the lands the north and east.
FeyMoon helped to build the Tower as she had promised and
protected and advised Queen Arakin and her line for several generations
living in her lair beneath MoonReach Castle. She mourned the loss of
her mate who settled in the eastern plains and never returned to the
Elderwood, but eventually fell in love with the gold dragon of the Grey
Mountains and bore many broods. She and her children still held to the
promise to protect the wood and the elves from any invader.
Many centuries after MoonReach Castle was built, those who
hated the crown and wished for power again thought they had chance to
sieze what they wanted. This began what is known as the Age of
Division. It culminated in the death of Alalantiel and her territory
being distributed to her children. MoonReach and the rebuilt TreeHeart
were granted to children from Saranti, while the children of GreyLord
took up the remaining areas. GreyLord also died in the Divisions and
left his territory to GreyCloud. WingedLord kept his people from the
battles, but remained allied to the other dragons and fought alongside
both ElvenAngel and GreyLord at their deaths. In fact, Ylvanyasil
killed DeepHate, avenging his sister and her mate, and effectively won
the final battle, forcing the rebels into rift in the earth created by
the emergence of the deep dragons who allied with the rebellion. Both
dragons were mourned by their respective Towers and the entire elven
nation as heroes. King Arkir, great-great-grandson of Arogikur, asked
that ElvenAngel be interred in her lair beneath Castle MoonReach where
she could look after her people forever. WoodFiend used her own aged
wand of stone to place her body in the bedrock beneath her lair to
honor the request. After the corpse was set in the phased cave, the
stone returned to normal, encasing ElvenAngel's body in bedrock, and
the ancient wand turned to dust.
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