The Paladins of Naretia

Chapter 11

It was almost half a day before Aramus was strong enough to walk on his own. By that time the sun was on its final few steps toward the horizon, and the forest creatures had begun to settle into the safety of their dirt and twiggy homes. Of course, Olórin knew the real reason they hid, and it was not because they were diurnal. It was because the nights in The Shrouded Forest were anything but peaceful. It would have been a wiser decision to seek refuge in a wild bear's den than to continue walking through the forest at night. But Olórin and Aramus were left with little choice. They could either stay put and be discovered by the queen's minions, or take their chances through fabled Crying Mists.

"Aramus," Olórin said, using his staff to pick out even ground amongst the tree roots in the dying light. "When the darkness comes you must promise to trust me, no matter what you see or hear. Things are not always what they seem in this place, and the mist has led many men to their doom."

"I would trust you with my life, old man," Aramus replied, cocking his head to the side and giving Olórin a crooked grin. "But I am not afraid of the dark, and whatever lies between these trees will not change once the sun sets. A tree is just a tree, what more could the forest hide?"

"Ah, so young," Olórin said, casting a cautious eye toward the inky sky. "Do you know that the elves believe everything from the grass blades to the trees themselves, has a soul? But in their belief, all souls are not equal either. Those born with a heartbeat are closest to the Goddess Edwina, and their heart symbolises her love. Those born without a heart are either free of sin or closest to the God Dantet, and are not under her protection. This is the reason they do not eat anything which once had a heartbeat, and dedicate their lives to killing Dark Ones.

"In the same way that the elves believe the trees around them, the grass, and the grain, all have souls or a thriving for life, they also believe that the ground beneath contains memories of times gone by; memories that far outlive the oldest creatures of Naretia. These memories date back to the time of creation, and contain secrets that our feeble minds, and written records, do not hold.

"In a way, I believe the elves are correct. Something powerful truly exists beyond that which we can see and hear. Not only do I believe the ground has memories, but I believe the world also has its own magic. The mist that lives between these trees is the forest's magic, and it isn't always kind, Aramus. The deep scars across its face, which man created with their axes to build homes, has not been forgotten, and the mist is laced with the desire to retaliate.

"But when the darkness comes, so too do dark creatures who are able to bend the mist's magic to their will, and create all manner of chaos. They twist the moons light to make you see untruths, they fill your ears to make you hear lies, and strangle your lungs so that you cannot scream. But most important to remember is that their only goal is to ensnare your senses and to end your life, Aramus."

"I see, a friendly lot then," Aramus replied. "But that also makes me wonder what the elves would make of me. Where would I lie on their spectrum of souls? I have a heart that beats and part of me is human, but I am clearly the son of Dantet, and therefore their enemy. I wonder, would they dedicate their lives to killing me?"

Olórin didn't answer straight away. The truth was that he didn't know what the elves would make of Aramus. The young man would be a paradox to their entire belief system, and one they might not welcome to quickly. No, it was definitely safer to bring Aramus to the dwarfs first. Perhaps with an encouraging nod from two castes, the elves would be less inclined to shoot an arrow through Aramus's skull upon first sight of him.

"Dantet does not have a heart, Aramus, but yours beats strongly in your chest," Olórin eventually said. "It may take some convincing on their part, but I believe they will come to see what I see. They maybe puritans, but they are also fair."