Si'Dhuen of Trefrost Spire

5

Reaching the forest was easy – almost every passerby knew of the Umbral Grove, at least in name. All shared the same warning, declaring the doom that awaited all who entered the grove. They spoke of a creature that stole helpless travellers from this world, forever. Si'Dhuen would not be dissuaded, however, and insisted that he be pointed in the right direction.
Eventually he and Lessandra made it to the edge of the grove, deep in the forest. The progress was slow, and the underbrush impeded the wagon at every turn. Unable to locate any discernible path, the pair wandered slowly among the trees, desperate for direction. The wagon finally gave its last as its axle snapped over a hidden rock in the brush. Annoyed but undeterred, Si'Dhuen ordered the horse separated from the wagon and bags be packed for the animal and Lessandra to carry. After a quick sorting of supplies, the horse and a large backpack for Lessandra were loaded, and they continued on deeper into the grove.
Many hours passed, and the dim light in the forest began to fade when the traveling pair finally heard movement up ahead. Si'Dhuen paused and Lessandra did the same. Listening intently, the elf picked up the unmistakable sound of foot falls. Every few steps were followed by a low, guttural moan. He crept through the brush, attempting to catch sight of the person walking and moaning. As he approached, he began to pick up the scent of long decayed flesh wafting toward him in waves. He almost gagged at the smell, quickly covering his mouth and holding his breath to avoid the smell. As he did, the movement up ahead stopped, but the moaning and smell continued.
Si'Dhuen paused at the change, straining to see up ahead. Several long moments of waiting passed before he noticed, far too late, the renewed and accelerated sound of movement coming directly for him. He snapped into an erect stance as a strange, green-eyed creature appeared out of the brush with bared teeth.
Caught by surprise, Si'Dhuen fell into the creature's grip. He struggled against the creature's grasp, reaching for its hands and face in an attempt to force it away. The elf found that the chalky skin of the creature was strangely slimy, and it tore from the wrists and face of the creature at his touch. He gasped at the strange sensation and his mouth and nose were suddenly filled with a sickly, nauseating aroma of putrefying meat. He began to gag again as the creature pulled him closer, maw opened wide with a guttural and blood curdling screech.
"Master! What should I do?" asked Lessandra frantically, covering her mouth and struggling against the weight of her bag and brush to reach Si'Dhuen.
A chuckle drifted through the trees at this moment. It was a dark, humorless and distinctly feminine sound which seemed to emit from the surrounding trees. The sound sent a chill through the traveling pair's spines, and they froze in anticipation as the laughter grew in strength.
An old woman draped in dark, flowing robes slowly approached them from the right, walking into the space between them. Before either of them could react, a second creature swept from behind Lessandra and restrained her as well. The old woman came to a stop, and the creatures holding the pair forcefully turned them to face her.
"Well, well. What do we have here?" mused the croon. She stepped into the fading evening light to reveal her face to the pair. Her face was lined with deep, trench-like wrinkles. Her long nose was hooked, and her silvery hair tumbled over her shoulders in unkempt rolls. The pair considered her with large, frightened eyes as she continued.
"Elves are a rare sight in my wood. You honor me with your presence, my lord," purred the old woman. "Now, typically I have one method of dealing with trespassers, and I try to enact justice as swiftly as I can. But, the sight of you piqued my curiosity. I think a chat is well worth the delay." Her lips were curled into a nasty smile. She seemed to be hungrily regarding them.
Si'Dhuen examined his situation with confusion and fear. He quickly realized his powerlessness with this woman, and spoke as sincerely as his panic would allow.
"My deepest apologies, madam," he choked through the smell and the grip of the creature, which now stood behind him.
"My name is Lord Si'Dhuen of Trefrost Spire," he continued. "My companion and I did not mean to trespass. We are humble seekers of knowledge, and if we have wronged you, I beg for an opportunity to correct any harm we have done to you."
Lessandra began to chirp an agreement to her master's words, but was cut short by a wrinkled raised hand. The old woman considered this for a moment before continuing.
"This is a strange occurance, for certain. Elvish nobility, especially those of your station and birth never stoop so low to gather anything but power on their own. And your kind have lost the spirit that defined your nobility ages ago. Hubris runs deep in Trefrost now, or so I am told," mused the woman.
She approached Si'Dhuen now, turning his face by the chin to better examine his face.
"However, your presence here still begs the question," she continued. "What knowledge could possibly entice you to venture so far from your comfy estate, and into my humble grove?"
Si'Dhuen's eyes widened. The old woman had taken him completely by surprise. Not only had she exhibited a shocking level of knowledge of his home city, she had dared to lay her hands on him. The boldness that radiated off this woman astounded and angered him.
Still, he kept his voice level and polite as he responded.
"Of course, good madam," he said, voice quivering slightly. "I would be pleased to answer any questions you have of my companion and myself."
"Though," he paused, looking to the creatures that restrained Lessandra and himself as best he could, "I believe it would be easier in somewhat less uncomfortable circumstances. If I may so humbly ask."
The woman's face hardened at this, and a disturbing shadow took over her eyes.
"Ok, then," she answered carelessly. "Maybe sating my curiosity is not worth the effort. Your deaths will serve me better than your words, it would appear. Get it over with, then, my pets."
With this, the old woman began to walk away.
The creatures behind both Si'Dhuen and Lessandra shifted and took hold of their heads and throats with jarring speed. The woman's pronouncement had sent Lessandra into tears. She became overcome with sobs of a great intensity. Under the choking grasp of the creature behind him, Si'Dhuen struggled and gasped. Just before the creature's vice-like grip occluded all of his air flow, however, he managed to weeze out one final phrase.
"We seek the secret to necromancy!" he called to the woman, though he had lost any hope of leaving the forest alive.
The old woman suddenly halted halfway through her stride. It appeared that the elven lord's sudden candidness gave her pause.
"Release them!" she called to the creatures. "I wish to speak to them."
They immediately obeyed, dropping Si'Dhuen and Lessandra to their knees. The pair landed hard, coughing and retching from the lack of air and sudden influx of putrid fumes from the creatures. They sat where they had dropped, attempting to recover themselves. The old woman stepped purposefully in front of Si'Dhuen again.
As he lifted his head to meet her gaze, she spoke with a dark authority.
"So," she started harshly. "You would have me believe that an elven noble of a great Trefrost House wandered all the way to my forest to learn about magic considered evil and summarily outlawed by his people?"
Her voice was acidic. She glared at Si'Dhuen with a furious intensity.
"This is the best lie you can come up with, elf?" She continued her hateful stare, waiting for a response.
Si'Dhuen attempted to stand, but the creature behind him forced him back down to his knees. After shooting an angry glance back at it, he settled for drawing himself as high as he could from the ground. Despite the fact that the woman wasn't that tall, even fully erect, he still merely came up to her chest.
"I speak the truth, madam," he answered, holding her gaze with his. "I have been searching for months, even before I left my home, for the secret to this arcane art of necromancy. So far, my search has been fruitless. But I was told of a witch in the Umbral Grove of this wood, and came to ask for her assistance, if she is amenable. I swear all this on the name of my family, and all the honor it commands."
The woman appeared lost in thought for a long time after he finished. She seemed to be searching for something beyond the trees and brush before her. Finally, she gestured to the creatures behind Si'Dhuen and Lessandra, directing them firmly.
"Help our guests up," she ordered. "It would appear we have a lot to talk about. Escort them back to the cottage for tea, I will meet you there shortly."
The creatures seized both Si'Dhuen and Lessandra with unnecessary force. After lifting the pair to their feet, the creatures released them. They then stepped out in front of the pair, ambling, with apparent difficulty, deeper in the forest.
Confused, the pair allowed the creatures to wander out in front of them a bit, before the creatures stopped and turned to face the elves with seeming anticipation.
The old woman, who had already disappeared into the brush, called out, "I wouldn't try to get away from your escort, my lord and lady. They are likely to kill you if you do, and I won't be there to stop them next time."
Hearing this, Si'Dhuen and Lessandra stole a quick, frightened glance at each other, then hurried off to join their grotesque guardians. They walked for a while on the heels of their guides. Before long, they came upon a small structure erected in a clearing among some ancient looking trees.
Si'Dhuen assumed that this was the cottage the old woman had mentioned, although he thought the word was a little generous for the building that lay before him. It was old and weathered looking, with tiles missing from the roof. The window panes were covered in scratches and cracked in places, with sap and bird droppings running down the outside surfaces of the house. There were small planters in front of the building, but they seemed to be overgrown with weeds and grasses. Even the small stone walkway that led to the entrance of the cottage was partially obscured with the overgrowth.
Si'Dhuen took in all of this with disgust as his escort unlatched the door and gestured for him and Lessandra to enter.
Upon entering, the elves were disheartened to find a similar sight awaiting them inside. They stepped into a small sitting area, dimly lit by flickering candle light. What furniture the room contained was coated heavily in dust and cobwebs, as if abandoned for a significant time. The room had a brick fireplace, but it was dark and had a heavy looking grate placed in front of it, which seemed to be leaking a mixture of rain water and ash. The walls were adorned with mounted heads of dead things, all with twisted faces to display pain and fear.
There was a wide variety of creatures on display, including what appeared to be a male dwarf with wild red hair. It was difficult for Si'Dhuen to determine the head's authenticity from where he stood, due to a thick layer of dust that coated the heads as well. However, neither he nor Lessandra had the courage to approach the mounted head to determine if it was real.
There was a single door that led out of the room, directly across from the entrance that they had been led through, but neither of them desired to approach that either.
The pair milled around the room for a while, taking extreme caution not to touch anything as they did. After a short moment, the old woman from the forest burst through the still open door to the front of the building, striding with purpose to one of the high backed seats in the room.
At the same time, the door across from them creaked open, allowing in a creature similar to the ones that held Si'Dhuen and Lessandra in the forest. This one was crooked though, seemingly curved forward with age. Its skin was papery instead of slimy, and it didn't smell as strongly as the others. It wore a very soiled looking apron, and was carrying a dusty serving tray.
It crossed the space in front of the fireplace and set about laying out the tray on a small coffee table in the center of the room.
The old woman settled in her chair, then looked to Si'Dhuen and Lessandra kindly before gesturing for them to join her. The pair hesitated slightly, eyeing the couch the woman had motioned to in nervousness. The woman took a quick glance as well out of curiosity, then laughed out loud to herself.
"My apologies, dears," she said, waving her hand in a grand gesture. "I don't typically entertain guests. Although my pets are good for a great many tasks, the delicacy required for dusting eludes them. Besides, I don't mind dust and soil much. I suppose I've gotten accustomed to it."
As she spoke and waved her hand, the room slowly lit up. Her gesture appeared to sweep away the grim atmosphere of the room, taking with it the webs and dust, leaving a nearly spotless scene. With a final flourish, the woman pointed at the fireplace, which instantly cleared and lit aflame. Now, the room was bathed in a friendly, warm firelight.
"There," said the woman, "that should make you two more comfortable. Now, come join me."
She gestured again for the pair to sit with her. After a stunned moment, they made their way over to her and plopped onto the couch.
"That was incredible," whispered Si'Dhuen, finally finding the ability to speak again. "You have such elegant magic. I've never seen anything like it before."
The woman chuckled lightly, tilting her old face upward slightly at the lord's compliment. She quickly returned and spoke with some levity in her voice.
"Oh, it's nothing to prestidigitate away some dust," she offered casually. "I would rather not talk about it. Besides, it's much more complex and interesting arcane knowledge that you came to find."
She looked pointedly at Si'Dhuen, then turned to the creature with the apron.
"Please pass out the cups and saucers, Craig," she ordered. "Much appreciated."
The creature rasped in assent and went about handing the woman, Si'Dheun and Lessandra greasy looking cups of brown, cloudy liquid.
"I understand that it isn't the finest tea in this part of Peart, but it's serviceable enough. I make due with what I can get out here," intoned the woman, taking a deep draft from her cup.
Si'Dhuen and Lessandra peered wearily down at their cups, then raised them to  their lips to taste, almost in unison. Neither found the tea overly appealing. Lessandra offered up a cough after she had swallowed a mouthful. They both held their cups politely in their laps.
"Thank you, good madam," said Si'Dhuen graciously. "Your hospitality is very appreciated. We have spent many rough months getting here, and many of our previous hosts didn't have the civility that you possess."
He stole a glance at the creature in the apron before continuing.
"If I may, madam, what is that creature in the room with us?" inquired the elf. "I've never seen anything like it."
The woman took another sip from her cup and placed it back on the table.
"That," she started slowly, "is the result of the magic that you seek. It's an undead servant I've risen to do what I need of it. I've named him Craig."
The creature curved in a slight bow, then served a second cup to the old woman.
SI'Dhuen gawked at the woman with confusion.
"That's incredible," he exclaimed. "So the fairytales in my wife's books were closer to the truth than I expected. Is this the best that can be expected out of necromancy?"
He sounded disappointed at this revelation, causing the woman to raise an eyebrow.
Looking upon the old woman, he quickly added, "I apologize if I seem ignorant and disrespectful. I have very little knowledge of any arcane art. This is my first real foray into anything of the sort."
The woman nodded slowly, as if appeased, and took up her cup again.
"There are many skills that one can acquire with the necromantic arts. This," she said, indicating to the creature, "is only a simple demonstration of the power one can hold."
She took another gulp from her cup before continuing.
"Necromancers have been known to harness a wide variety of abilities. Anything from speaking to long dead creatures, to snatching a soul back from the depths of the afterlife itself. The possibilities are endless, as long as you continue the path as intended."
The old woman finished her cup and placed it back upon the table. She sat back in her chair and considered Si'Dhuen closely.
"Madam, if I may be so bold," started Si'Dhuen, nervous sweat spotting his brow as he spoke, "I have an intense desire to learn this power. Whatever is required of me is yours, all I ask is that you teach me all you know."
The woman's mouth turned up into a sickening grin as Si'Dhuen's words sank in. She stared at him hungrily, as a cat would eye a juicy mouse.
"I will hold you to your promise, young elf," answered the old woman. "Know that the path you seek is difficult and requires sacrifices you can hardly imagine. If you sincerely wish to learn, I will gladly take you as my pupil, and you will swear to me as one swears to a master."
Si'Dhuen stiffened at this, but, realizing his lack of options, nodded in acknowledgement. When he spoke again, his eyes were hard and glued to the floor.
"I swear to you, my master," he said in a tight, low whisper, "that I will do all that you ask of me. I am yours to command."
He rose from his seat on the couch, getting down to one knee with his head bowed deeply before her.
"And you, girl?" asked the woman of Lessandra. "What have you come here to find?"
Lessandra tensed at this, looking pleadingly to her master.
"My companion is a servant of mine, my master," answered Si'Dhuen. He still tensed over the word "master."
"My bond to you binds her to you as well," he continued. "She will do as she is commanded, whether by your will or mine."
The old woman looked over Lessandra for a moment, then shrugged and looked away.
"If you say so, young one," said the woman, in her careless tone. "Help is always of much value in this line of work. It can be so hard to find sometimes."
She rose from her chair as she finished speaking and walked to a small set of shelves in the corner of the room.
She retrieved an old looking volume and returned to her seat. Thumbing through the book, she quickly found what she was looking for. She extracted a page to look at it closer. There appeared to be handwritten scrawl spread sloppily across it. She reviewed it briefly. Appearing satisfied, she looked back up to Si'Dhuen.
"Well, there's no time like the present," the old woman chirped happily. "I think it's time for your first lesson. I want you to collect these items for me," she said, handing the page to her new pupil. He took it deferentially and began looking it over. He now saw that the page had a list of plants and assorted materials.
"They're all easy enough to find," she continued, "and I can give you a set of sketches to aid in your search. Return to my cottage when you have collected them all. Go now."
Before they left, the old woman retrieved another small book from the shelf in the corner. The small volume contained detailed drawings of all the local plant and animal life. Si'Dhuen was relieved upon receiving this aid because he had not heard of even half the items on the list he was handed. After reiterating the task, the old woman swept the elves out the door.
Just before the woman closed the door, Si'Dhuen turned to face her, a sudden curiosity overtaking him.
"I'm sorry, master," he said sheepishly. "But, may I ask your name? I admit it is solely for my benefit, but I would appreciate knowing what to call you."
"Master is fine enough a title to call me, elf," replied the old woman. "If you require a more personal moniker for my person, I would recommend continuing to refer to me as your 'Witch of Umbral Grove.' Don't refer to me as such out loud, mind."
She shot a pointed look at Si'Dhuen, then waved him away from the door to commence his search.