Silvertree Chronicles Bk 01 Ch 33

Silvertree Chronicles Book One, The World Awaits, Chapter 33, (Dragon Wars Enhanced Edition)

Synopsis: The life of Eldar Silvertree from graduation at the prestigious Elven Academy and desire to leave it behind. Only to return full circle to shake Elven Society to the core.

***Inspired by multiple fantasy environments. Not endorsed by any of them. © EmotionalStorm April 2021. This story cannot be transferred to any other site besides Literotica.com without the prior authorizations in writing from the author and EmotionalStorm must be credited for this work.

Authors warning: This section contains no sex.

Authors Note: For those who have not read my bio, please note I write as a form of therapy for a Traumatic Brain Injury. I know the English majors will probably encounter issues that annoy them. If these are your focus, instead of the story itself, then this is not the story for you. I am not and will never be a professional writer.

I do it to tell the story, for those who wish to read them. I originally submitted this story back in mid-2017 to mid-2018. I have worked to try and improve my writing style while struggling with this issue. I have added some editing software and written a few other stories. Now I am revising and editing this earlier work to try and bring it up to a higher standard from what I have managed to learn over the last few years.

Chapter 33

On the Hunt

Both Ladies nodded to him and gingerly worked to get out of bed. Charlemagne more so than Annette.

He kissed them both before heading out. He stopped by Victria's room and knocked. "Come in." She was dressed and fussing about. "I am going to be late to work. Did you need something?"

Eldar nodded, "Do you know Staria Crescent Moon?"

She smiled, "Yes I do. You made quite an impression on her. She was ready to jump over her desk and mount you right there, after doing that to her boss. He now works in the Palace District Sewer System Management after the Queen got done with him. They still brought someone else in over her and they take credit for her work. Why do you ask?"

Eldar looked at her "She has a sister. Astria?"

Victria nodded, "Yes, she is having a hard time finding work at the moment she is a mage a few years younger than you. She did not go through the Academy. There are not many who will hire a mage who was not Academy trained. Staria is the same way.

Gifted casters just did not have an important enough family to get into the Academy. Sorry, I know you are sensitive about the Academy, and while your family name and father's position ensured you got there your success was your own."

Eldar nodded, "I am building a second Academy. To help those like them to get the education that they need. I would like to have them over for the evening meal 3 days from now. Could you extend the invitation? Seven at night."

Victria nodded, "Should I tell her why?"

Eldar smiled, "To find out if she still wants to throw me down on the floor."

Victria laughed and smiled. Then he looked at her, "There is an issue I need to discuss with them. It is a personal matter. The list of invitees is rather small. I and my ladies at the moment and the 2 of them. There might be 2 more."

She smiled, "I have to run and I will relay your invitation."

Eldar found his way to the kitchen. The staff stopped in their tracks. He looked at them, "Please continue your work. I was just stopping in to pick up some food for my wives and me. Something we can eat as we go as we will be leaving shortly. One of the cooks smiled and brought him a plate with 12 large blueberry muffins, some fruit, and cheese. Then several water-skins. "Will, that work for you?"

He smiled, "That it will. You all have a good day." He got back to the room and the ladies were dressed and finished packing though moving slowly. He checked over the food before setting it down, "Food and water. Get some energy into you."

They moved to the table and started scarfing down muffins and fruit. He stuck to the cheese, water, and just one muffin. He ate a lot the previous night. While they did not eat the night before. He looked at them while they ate, "I spoke with Victria after I left. Asked if she knew Staria and could she extend an invite to the evening meal 3 days from now at seven. She said she would pass it along."

Eldar smiled and Charlemagne looked at him, "What are you smiling about?"

Eldar looked at her, "Something Victria said about making an impression on Staria. She was ready to jump over her desk and mount me right there, after what I did to her boss. He got pushed out but she did not get the position. They brought in someone who takes credit for her work."

Charlemagne laughed, "Sounds like I would like her already. I found her pleasant enough before. I did not think about having relations with her. She is gorgeous. What about her sister?"

Eldar nodded, "She is a few years younger than me. Still an adult but a Mage who was trained outside of the Academy. They both were. Nobody wants to hire a mage who is not an Academy graduate. Not to do magical work anyway. Her name is Astria but I already knew it."

They nodded, "Sounds like they might make a good fit. Have you thought about how to approach the subject?"

Eldar nodded, "I thought about a modified game of truth or dare. I ask all of the ladies a question and then one of the new ladies can ask me. Then we go around the table again. I would save you 2 for the last figuring you would go with the dare. I would have you strip each other."

The ladies looked at Eldar and Charlemagne replied, "You get to ask all 6 of us then we get to ask the other ladies. They do the same and then it goes back to you."

Eldar shrugged, "We allow them to ask a question once we have gone around the table for me. They can ask, then Charlemagne, then they can ask again, and then again after Annette. Then we start again."

They both nodded and they grabbed their gear and headed out and waited for the others to arrive. He looked at Charlemagne, "Beautiful day to go riding."

She glared at him and Annette laughed at her which got a glare in her direction. The others started showing up and Silver Moon walked over, "So what is the plan?"

Eldar looked at the House, "Get the communication Crystal from the desk. We are awaiting a few others."

While they waited, Moon Bow showed up with several mages. Some in army garb. Then the others arrived. He looked at the bunch of them and nodded, "You are all here as a precaution. I am going forward to do a diplomatic security assessment. We are checking for the possibility of a lich. This is the location the Queen is traveling to tomorrow so we want to be as thorough as possible.

My papers cover me and a small entourage. I will communicate with Silver Moon. If there is a problem Moon Bow will take his group into the Ambassadors office like his previous trip. I need a caster with a teleport and circle of teleportation or two circles of teleportation ready to go."

One of his mages steps forward, "Been doing gear assignment."

Eldar nodded, "Fireball, you will lead the second group. I want two battle clerics in each group. If a problem is found I contact Silver Moon and send this guy home back to you. Moon Bow your group will move to protect the current ruler coming in from the Ambassador's office.

Fireball will bring his group trailing me. If a caster has haste then use it on your group. We hope to eliminate the bastard who killed my father. I have a spell to try and locate him if he is close by.

When I call for Moon Bow this caster will teleport back here and then circle teleport to my last location with Fireballs group. I will have them leave a Guard to direct Moon Bow to the secure location of the ruler. Moon Bow can tell you my hunches are usually right. Which is why you are here. Group them up. My group, center on me."

Eldar teleported them into the Ambassador's office and startled him as he just got on or off his chamber pot. He looked over, "You again!"

Eldar nodded, "I am heading to the throne room. If another group comes in, send them that way. As they will be reinforcements." He looked shocked at that as Eldar's team stepped into the hall and passed the 2 palace guards at the door. "Is the Princess in the throne room?"

The guy nodded, "She is preparing for her father's funeral tomorrow."

Eldar walked toward the throne room and he saw the Princess and she rushed to hug him, "You said you would come."

Eldar smiled, "I need 2 guards."

She called them over and he brought forth the chest. The Princess watched as they removed the body and his head. She looked at Eldar, "No blood."

Eldar nodded, "My sword seared the wounds closed. I need to cast a spell to check on something."

He went over to the spot where the wizard was last seen. The sharpened piece of bone that acted as a compass was in his hand. It stood straight up and down then rolled out of his hand across the floor and then back several feet repeating. He looked at the guards, "I need one guard here to direct my first squad. Go for Fireball! Silver Moon send Moon Bow!"

He looked at the guards, "Take her someplace safe. Not standard. Take her to your guard barracks and your guard can lead Moon Bow who is coming in from the ambassador's wing. The lich is in the castle what is below there?"

She looked down, "Servant quarters and below that the Royal vault."

She looked up, "Oh no! A group left a few minutes ago for the vault to get the burial shroud to put over my father's coffin."

Eldar picked up the compass and held it tight. "Stairs to the vault?"

She pointed, "That way on the left, two guards at the top. Tell them alarm Unicorn and they will let you pass and search for me."

Eldar's group took off running, "Annette I hope you know what I am thinking?"

He cast haste on them.

Annette,

"What are you thinking?"

Eldar,

"Stay on my ass if we find the phylactery you might be able to blow it up."

They got to the stairs, "Alarm Unicorn."

The two guards ran off and they headed down the stairs as quickly as they could. They got to the bottom and there was a long passage with a group in front of a vault door.

---

Vexxor had been pacing back and forth for days bored out of his undead skull. He heard them as they worked the door to the vault and he had an empowered thunder wave spell left in memory to clear the hall so he could teleport away finally. He had one disintegration ready if needed to destroy someone. He could cast that through his necromancy staff he had gathered with the relics. He could burn a few charges off of that if needed.

His goal, get outside the vault and teleport to his secondary location. It was supposed to be a quick stop location but as he did not have the access to his spellbook, he would need time to study there and it was a more dangerous location for others to get into unless they were already dead.

---

Eldar yelled out, "Do not open that!"

His compass pulled him in that direction. He saw the door crack as they were too late. There was an explosion that sent the door halfway down the hall. He released his compass.

Annette,

"Whatever that compass attaches to destroy it!"

He saw the red of the lich's eyes and he cast out a wall of force a foot in front of him holding him in the vault as they continued running. Just as the compass starts spinning around a dagger at the liches side with a solid emerald handle.

Eldar,

"The emerald dagger, destroy it."

Annet knew she would have to raise it away from him to have a chance at destroying it. She used her sword Telekinesis and pulled it up in the air and toward the group.

The lich cast a disintegrate, taking down Eldar's wall. Eldar saw the dagger flying into the air and he targeted it with a disintegrate of his own which failed. Annette had pulled it higher and further away. The lich drops what he had in his one hand, ran forward and grabbed it, hissed, and cast a teleport as he was outside the vault. Eldar's compass was laying on the ground and he picked it up. He looked at the group, "Healers see if you can do anything for these men!"

He looked down and started identifying what he dropped from the vault that was in a draconic-magical bag. He counted at least 9 items in the relic category. Every one of those displayed as extremely dark necromancy magic.

He pulled out a crystal, "Lord Regal, an issue Eldar?"

Eldar growled in frustration, "I need Lady Amy Tryst I would prefer Lady Silver Hair. I have a few relics that need to be secured. The lich is a fact. He escaped but dropped some very big items and I want them out of here."

The crystal was buzzing, "Lady Silver Hair and Amy Tryst are on their way, where are you?"

He sighed, "The human palace, royal vault what is left of it!"

He carefully sealed the bag, the objects had sharp edges but did not appear to affect this massively heavy bag. Light for a dragon he assumed. Impractical for anyone else. He looked at the others as Fireball rounded the corner. "Fireball and my detail remain here. The other wizards need to teleport back to House Silvertree. He escaped, Battle Clerics, what do we have?"

They look at Eldar, "2 dead and 2 badly wounded. You probably saved the 2 with that spell you cast."

Eldar nodded. "Get them on their feet and help them take the dead upstairs. I need my team to watch the vault. Nobody in or out. Ladies, you are with me. DAMN IT TO THE NINE HELLS!"

He headed upstairs and the Ambassador was coming with the 2 ladies. Eldar looked at them, "Back to your office."

A group of Royal guards arrived and he pointed toward the stairs, "My men are guarding your vault. Your Princess is secured with another group of my men and your palace guards. See to your wounded and dead."

He looks at Eldar, "Who are you?"

Eldar turned to him, "Duke Eldar Silvertree you probably heard of me."

He snapped to and his men went running off down the corridor.

He looked, "The Princess is not in her quarters or another designated safe location."

Eldar looked at him, "Guard barracks. Tell them alarm unicorn, stand down."

He got on the crystal with Silver Moon, "We almost had him he teleported away. He is a lich."

He heard, "Damn, that is what the guys coming back said but they said you gave it your best shot."

Eldar put the Crystal away.

He pulled out the one to the Queen, "Yes Eldar, how does it go? I am secure."

Eldar glared at the Crystal, "BADLY! He is a lich and he escaped. I had eyes on him but he was too far away. We know what his phylactery is and we know some of the stuff he took and what he dropped from the royal vault. I have our Lady Friends here to examine the stuff he dropped and get it the hell out of here. The Princess was taken to a secure location. I will call back shortly, Your Majesty."

He walked into the throne room and poured those items out of the bag and into the chest that had the body in it previously. He picked up the box and carried it to the Ambassador's office. "Do not touch them, I used an identify spell, you figure out what is safe to touch."

Lady Silver Hair looked at the items and was revolted. She had seen references to these artifacts in the tomes collected. He found the ones missing from the Royal Vault and others, "You were right to call us. Some of these items were called out specifically in the dragon-only business we discussed before."

He looked at her, "Are any safe to touch?"

She shook her head and Eldar sent them into the ether using the secret chest spell.

---

Null was enraged as his relics appeared in the Human Palace of Grand Falls and then disappeared moments later. He knew that small chest was the key to reclaiming them, yet he had no assets to pursue it and no way to track it. At the moment they were somewhere in the Ether. The human who stole them had allowed them to be captured by others.

IO appeared, "You have no champion or enough followers to put one on the field. Your creature is dead. Your followers cannot go against them directly without breaking the accord. You only have access to one hero, in 100 years after your creature's destruction because of your low number of followers.

Tiamat and Task would keep them in check, even if you did have the means of communicating with them they are not ready to go to war just yet. They are building up more Dragons and breeding like crazy. You cannot scry over them until they reappear.

Once again you let a human necromancer in this world get the best of you. I helped to save you last time. Corellon cannot tell his champion what he has or what to do with them. He is Bound by The One in that matter. You will have to wait and see when he turns them back over to the Dragons."

---

Eldar stuck out his hand, "Take this bag. It is far too heavy, even empty. See what you can learn from that. Draconic Magic is likely and do not lie to me about that. Meet me back here in this office tomorrow and you can take me to where you want these items. Dropped in a volcano would be best. One more thing."

He pulled out a piece of parchment. He drew out a staff with a shrunken human head all in black with diamond eyes and ruby teeth. "He escaped with that and his phylactery. Which is..." He drew that up. "An ornamental dwarven dagger with a solid emerald handle. I know who to ask about this specific item. Now that it is a phylactery."

The Silver Dragon Queen nodded, "I doubt a volcano would damage them, they are powerful relics. You did not kill him, but you stopped his immediate plans. You gave us valuable information. I will pass that along."

Eldar nodded, "I sent most of my mages back to ensure your privacy."

Lady Silver Hair smiled, "Thank you for that."

Eldar went looking for a guard, "Location of your Princess or your guard barracks."

He nodded, "The Princess is on her way down."

He waited there. Fireball and the men came back, "The guards took over, the clerics took care of the wounded. One was the treasurer. I sent him back with the extra caster."

Eldar looked at him, "I want to see him now!"

Fireball went to the stairs and redirected the treasure their way. Eldar looked at him, "You have an inventory of what is in that vault?"

He nodded. Eldar looked at him, "We need to confirm a few items so get that inventory, and did you get the burial shroud?"

He nodded, "It was still in the vault. I grabbed it."

He handed it to Eldar who sat it on the throne. The Princess, her advisers, Moon Bow, and his team show up. "He is a lich. It looks like he was trapped in the vault. If I had to guess, your father had someone rework the ward to block teleportation in or out. Once the door was off the hinges, he was able to escape but we managed to get him to drop several items and identified his phylactery.

What holds his black soul, and a description of one item he took with him. The items he dropped were dark and powerful relics. Dangerous to even touch. They are out of the castle and will be destroyed or secured away from all of us."

She nodded at what he was not saying. He had asked her for different safe rooms that they had put off doing. They, her advisers, felt like he was being too cautious. Her quarters had a teleport blocker that was installed by her father by the head of the Academy so she felt like it would be secure. Now she was not so sure.

She wore a new ring, the one her father had commissioned was given to her last week by the head of her Arcane Academy. She now had a means of turning a spell but it was not 100% effective. She knew it would never be enough to keep that lich away.

He did ask her to keep people out of secured areas. She had directed them to get the burial shroud without a second thought to his warning. She now felt like those lives lost were the first she has sent to their death. She decided she needed to listen to him a little closer but he wanted her independent as well. "Thank you for coming a day early."