Gifted [UNEDITED]

Chapter Four

    "Let's start with the guys", Domrath started, his voice was muffled. "Probably they have something for us."
   
    "No. I don't like the idea. We left them a long time ago, I don't like us going back to them", Kamirel refused.
   
    "I think Domrath is right, we need information. We need it from them, they're in the best position to tell us what's going on", Gnorath suggested.
   
    Kamirel stood up, he looked at the ceiling, "but we'll have to be careful", he said.
   
    "We will, you worry too much over nothing", Domrath told him.
   
    "It's not nothing Domrath, we know what these people are. We were once one of them, and I still regret it till now", Kamirel said. His eyes were now fixed on Domrath, who was chewing on his macrie bread and bean stew.
   
    "Hurry up and finish, we leave for the forgery soon", Gnorath told his brother.
   
    "I still regret it", Kamirel muttered. Gnorath looked at him, he stared for a brief second, then he threw his face away. "I'll never be able to forget."
   
    He remembered, the memory was still fresh in his head. That first night, his first job. It was his first time on a robbery. An old elf, in his mid forties, had taken them from their deserted home; he, Domrath and Gnorath.
   
    Kamirel was only fourteen, and they had just clocked twelve. The elf had told them "I rescued you from your abandoned home, you owe me a lot", and truly they did. They had been starving, they were cold, and they had no place to rest their heads at night.
   
    After several weeks of sending them on the streets to beg, and pick pocket, he sent them with some older elves to rob a house. The elf had struggled with the leader of the robbery, his exact words were "please, please, we have nothing to eat, we're starving."
   
    Kamirel watched as the leader smacked the elf, but he wouldn't relent, he held his legs, still begging. The leader got annoyed and stabbed the elf on his neck. "Come on!", the leader shouted. But Kamirel was in shock, it was his first time seeing blood, Gnorath and Domrath had waited outside, so they didn't see the elf die.
   
    "Move!", another elf shouted at him, he jolted, and ran as fast as his young legs could carry him.
   
    The heat from the furnace was unbearable, "how do these Umiroth clan elves bear the heat from this forgery", Domrath complained, wiping the sweat from his forehead. There was clanging of metal against metal, and the smell of sweat, burnt pig meat, and black wine filled the air.
   
    "They are best known for their prowess in the art of forging weapons. It is also said that they use magic in making weapons", Gnorath explained. He was moving his mouth uneasily, tapping his fingers against his thighs.
   
    "What's wrong?", Kamirel asked him.
   
    He looked at him suddenly, as though he had been thinking, "uh? Nothing, nothing", he replied.
   
    Just then, a voice called out from the alleys "psst!". Kamirel looked in the direction, he nodded and approached the figure, Domrath made to follow him, but Gnorath held him back and shook his head.
   
    "We don't want to draw attention to ourselves", he explained. They waited patiently, Domrath got bored so he left to go talk with the blacksmiths. Gnorath watched him, he smiled when he saw how quick his brother was able to start a conversation.
   
    He remembered when they were little, their parents would always fight, it affected Domrath. He would always keep to himself, he never talked to anyone. The only person he ever talked to was Gnorath. "Why do they always fight?", Domrath asked one time, his brother had no answer, so he just hugged him.
   
    Suddenly, a fire broke out. The entire place was in disarray, elves running from pillar to post. The furnace had overheated, and there had been a loud explosion. The blacksmiths quickly left to get water, every elf available was  contributing to putting out the fire. Gnorath didn't move, he stood there like a sculpture. He couldn't move, the fire reminded him of the raid that changed his entire life.
   
    That cold night, the children had been playing under the full moon. The intrusion was so sudden, the dwarves came in quite a  large number, they were carrying torches, all of them.
   
    "Burn down the houses!", Gnorath had heard their commander say. The dwarves set to burning, anyone who tried to stop them was killed instantly. Gnorath had been stuck inside the house when the fire broke out, his parents didn't look back, they ran for their lives.
   
    It was Kamirel who bravely rescued him from the fire, the fourteen year old elf had rushed in to grab his friend. Gnorath held tightly to his savior, when they were outside Kamirel put him gently on the ground. He was breathing heavily, and very fast, "breathe, just breathe, it'll be fine, it'll be fine", Kamirel told him, trying to console him.
   
    "My-my br-rother, where is he?", Gnorath asked, he was shivering.
   
    "He's safe, don't worry", Kamirel assured. He raised Gnorath to his feet, the elf's breathing had now slowed, and he was calm again. Domrath joined them a few minutes later panting "I couldn't find them, mama and papa are gone", he said, bursting into tears.
   
    "Forget about them, we don't need them", Gnorath tried consoling, but he was in tears himself. He moved close to his brother and hugged him, Kamirel joined them, tears started forming in his eyes, his parents were dead too.
   
    They had died in the fire, his mother was pregnant, she was in labor, and his father wouldn't leave her alone. "Go! Leave here Kamirel!", his father shouted.
   
    "No papa, I won't leave! I won't leave you and mama!", Kamirel told him, hugging him tight.
   
    His father slapped him in the face, "I said leave!". He was now angry, his nostrils were opening and closing, and he was breathing heavily.
   
    "Kamirel my son, please leave. Please", his mother begged, she started crying. Kamirel looked in her eyes, he started crying too, he ran for the door. As soon as he came out, his house collapsed.
   
    While they were hugging, some dwarf soldiers surrounded them, they looked hungry and unkempt. "Take that one", one of them said, pointing at Domrath.
   
    "No!", Gnorath shouted, he quickly pushed his brother behind him, Kamirel too blocked Domrath, stretching his hands sideways.
   
    "Move elf, I'm not here for you", another dwarf said, he drew his sword. But the young elves wouldn't move, out of anger the dwarf gave Gnorath a cut on his face. He was about to hit Kamirel too, but another dwarf shouted from a distance "the elf soldiers are coming!", the dwarf snared and left with the others.
   
    "Are you okay?", Domrath asked him. He nodded, taking a deep breath, "is Kamirel done with the meeting?", he asked.
   
    "I'm here, let's go to The Den, we need to rally soldiers", Kamirel interrupted.
   
    "Why, what happened. What is going on?", Gnorath asked, mounting his elk.
   
    "They told me the exact location of the agitators, their hide out", Kamirel explained, kicking his elk into a run.
   
    "And you believe them?", Gnorath asked, chasing after him on his own elk.
   
    "Yes! Why not?!"
   
    "But, you said we should be careful. This sounds too fishy!", Domrath reminded.
   
    Kamirel didn't answer, he was too excited. His Lord, and the general, and everyone else would be proud of him for putting an end to The Voice.
   
    "I need a company of soldiers, rally them up now", Kamirel said to a soldier at the pavilion.
   
    "On whose orders sir?", the soldier asked.
   
    Kamirel looked at him from his elk, "do you see my helmet?", he asked. The soldier nodded, "then I'm sure you know what to do."
   
    "I still don't know what to do Sir", the soldier replied, he was already sweating.
   
    "Rally the troops, soldier. Don't make me descend from my horse", Kamirel told him and rode off.
   
    "Kamirel, are you sure you know what you're doing?", Domrath asked.
   
    "Don't worry about it, I know what I'm doing", he answered.
   
    In less than twenty minutes, about a hundred and fifty soldiers were rallied. "We're heading into The Northern Isle. We are going there to fish out the agitators, there should be no fear in your hearts. We're acting under the command of the general", Kamirel told them.
   
    They were all on foot, only he and his friends were on elks. The soldiers followed behind the trio running, their gold colored helmets reflected the gold sun, and their green leather armor clung to them.
   
    The agitators were taken by surprise, the soldiers nabbed some of them at their various hideouts. But it wasn't so easy, some others escaped and alerted more of them. As they advanced, more and more agitators kept coming.
   
    "Where do these annoying rats crawl from?", Gnorath complained, shooting at one of them.
   
    "I don't know, but I like them", Domrath smiled, he was panting, he placed two arrows on his string and fired at two agitators, it landed on both their foreheads.
   
    "Focus Domrath", Kamirel cautioned. He turned away from them, he saw the agitators surrounding them again. "Gnorath round the archers, take them to the roofs."
   
    Gnorath immediately shouted, "archers with me!", the archers quickly lined up behind him.
   
    "Line!", Kamirel shouted, the soldiers quickly formed a tight line in front of Gnorath and the archers, ready with their weapons and shields. "March!", Kamirel shouted again.
   
    The soldiers started marching, the march was slow, one step at a time with about two seconds interval. They had their shields slightly above the ground,  killing any agitator in the way, Gnorath and the archers followed closely behind. The line continued till it cleared a path for the archers to the alleys.
   
    "Is there any Raegblood from the Meiden clan here?", Gnorath asked the archers. There was silence for a while, everyone was looking left and right.
   
    "Me Sir", a soldier answered from the crowd, brushing through the horde in front of him.
   
    "Connect me with that Red Falcon", Domrath told him, pointing at Kamirel.
   
    The archer touched Gnorath and mumbled under his breath, "Unar menthos esco". Gnorath felt a surge in his head, he felt a little dizzy, and a little weak in the knees.
   
    'Kamirel can you hear me? It's Gnorath'
   
    'I can hear you. I need your archers to surround the street', Kamirel replied.
   
    Gnorath raised his hand and waved it, the archers understood. They quickly formed a circle on the roofs, surrounding the street below.
   
    'Ready', Gnorath told Kamirel. He heard Kamirel shout orders at the soldiers below, he saw them hurridely huddle around him. He heard him again, and now some of the soldiers had their shields above their heads, and some had their shields in front of them.
   
    'Fire', Kamirel told him. He raised his hand, immediately the archers aimed at the enemy, as soon as he put his hand down the arrows started raining on the street.
   
    Some of the arrows landed on the shields, but none killed the soldiers. The agitators started dieing in large numbers. They could not take cover anywhere because the street was too open.
   
    Gnorath hear Kamirel shout "forward!", he saw the shielded line moving. Swords and spears alike coming out of the enclosed line, stabbing the enemy fiercely.
   
    Gnorath watched as the enemy depleted greatly in number and rapidly. He smiled, he looked at the soldier behind him who had kept his hand on him the whole time. He saw relief on his face, casting a telepathy spell is very strength taking.
   
    "You can rest now", he told the soldier. He smiled at him, watching him walk away reminded him of his own brother.
   
    "We won!", Domrath yelled from the opposite roof, dancing and jumping. Gnorath saw him and laughed, he looked down and saw Kamirel giving soldiers orders to round up the remaining agitators as prisoners.
   
    "You did what?!", Uzrath yelled, he was up on his feet, vibrating.
   
    "I rallied some soldiers and killed a bulk of the agitators", Kamirel answered. His face was straight, his lip pressed into a tight line, and his thumb danced around his hilt.
   
    "On whose orders?", Gnarim asked.
   
    "My orders sir", Kamirel replied.
   
    "Are you mad?!", the general asked in anger, he was now pacing the hall, a few steps away from the Council table.
   
    "I am not mad!", Kamirel answered him with the same zest, his thumb still dancing.
   
    "Kamirel!", Borath called him, he gave him a stern look, the soldier nodded and took a step back.
   
    "Do you understand the casualties you have caused our army, soldier?", Gnarim asked.
   
    "No I don't understand sir. I don't understand the casualties, I don't understand why the casualties on the enemy is counted, and the casualties on us is wavered."
   
    "What are you saying?!", Uzrath asked, drawing his sword.
   
    "Let him speak", Gnarim said softly, waving Uzrath away. "Speak, I'm listening to you."
   
    "When we first attacked The Voice our soldiers were brutally ambushed and killed. There was no hot complaint as this. I remember the attack on the Celestial temple, general Uzrath asked me to forget about it."
   
    "Kamirel, that's enough now", Borath told him, in hopes of killing the matter.
   
    "No. Let the elf speak", Gnarim said, he was patient to hear all the clamours.
   
    Kamirel nodded and continued, "so many soldiers died that day, but there was no hot complaint as this. Now the enemy is almost vanquished, and there is complaint."
   
    The High Councillor smiled, he was shaking his head slowly. He looked at the twenty year old elf and smiled again, "Kamirel, yes?", he asked.
   
    The soldier nodded, lowering his brow, 'what's so funny', he thought to himself.
   
    "You say you have vanquished the enemy, and there are no casualties. How many soldiers did you take with you on this expedition", Gnarim asked.
   
    "I don't have an exact count sir", Kamirel answered.
   
    "About a hundred and fifty soldiers", Gnarim told him. He paused, reading the expression on Kamirel's face. "And only forty soldiers lived, and out of those forty soldiers, twenty-five soldiers are badly injured."
   
    "I-I, I have no words", Kamirel stuttered.
   
    "That's not all soldier. You have also damaged the homes of some elves, the way you conducted the raid was too rushed and too rough"
   
    "And you complain of casualties! Dragging words with me, the general!", Uzrath shouted.
   
    "Uzrath! Control yourself, I am talking to the elf", Gnarim cautioned. "You are inexperienced in commanding, you cannot command soldiers without the traditional formations. Don't think because you have risen up the ranks so fast, you're untouchable", he continued, facing Kamirel.
   
    "I am sorry if I have spoken out of turn", Kamirel begged, facing Uzrath. "I am also sorry for the damages", he said, now facing the rest of the Council.
   
    "I'm sorry too", the High Councillor told him. "You have to be suspended from the army with immediate effect."
   
    Kamirel glared at him, his eyes were wide, so were his nostrils. "Till when sir?", he asked, he was trying hard not to sound commanding.
   
    "Indefinite, now leave"
   
    Kamirel walked out of the Council hall distraught, he walked to the open fields where Gnorath and Domrath were waiting.
   
    "How did the report go?", Gnorath asked.
   
    "I have been suspended from the army, and it's indefinite", Kamirel told him, mounting his elk.
   
    "Don't be too hard on yourself, at least we won", Domrath tried to console.
   
    "It's not about winning Domrath. I tried so hard not to fail, for it to be perfect. But I failed, I am a failure", Kamirel explained. "A failure, I am a failure", he mumbled riding off.
   
    "Domrath, you need to learn how to talk. You say shit sometimes you know?", Gnorath reprimanded his brother.
   
    "What did I say?!", Domrath asked in a raised tone.
   
    "It's no use. You'll never grow up", Gnorath told him riding into the darkness. He rode for many hours till he was far out of sight, of anyone at all.
   
    He was at the brook of Misery, so called because of the incident surrounding it. It was at this brook the shadow-riders usually come to hunt for elves. They came at night, when the moon was usually full. Mothers usually used the shadow-riders to scare their children in stories and tales.
   
    Gnorath was here now, not scared. There was  nothing to be scared of, the shadow-riders were already extinct, or at least they haven't been sighted in a very long time.
   
    "The moon is bright today isn't it?", a voice from behind him asked. He turned slowly, he smiled when he saw the figure behind the voice, it was familiar.
   
    "It is bright. The Celestial King is happy with us", he replied.
   
    "Of course he is", said another voice. The trio burst into heavy laughter.
   
    "High Councillor, General", Gnorath bowed.
   
    "It's fine, you can address us squarely. We're all equal under the moon", Gnarim chuckled.
   
    Gnorath smiled, "nothing much has happened as of now. But the plan was executed effectively, Kamirel fell for the information."
   
    "Good, good. The next phase of our plan will soon be put into action", the general commended.
   
    "Lord Borath is beginning to suspect, I don't think it'll be wise to meet like this more often", Gnorath told them.
   
    "Don't mind that old fool. He doesn't know anything, he is too narrow minded. He doesn't think big", the general assured him.
   
    "When the plan is completely executed. Our rewards will be out of this world, we will become more powerful than anyone else in Miaddra", Gnarim explained to him.
   
    Gnorath nodded, he didn't care about the rewards, all he wanted was the safety of his brother. "And my brother, you promised you'll free him from the spell as soon as the plan is complete."
   
    "The plan is not yet complete, don't push it. We made a promise, we intend to keep it. Don't make us change our mind", Gnarim warned, he rounded his elk and riding away.
   
    "You have angered him, fool. You should have kept your hole shut", the general told him, he rode after the High Councillor as soon as words dropped from his mouth.