Chapter 18 Chapter Seventeen A Desperate Attempt

"I'm sorry to disturb you," Danica said quietly, as she and Cadderly entered a glade, blocked by a thick pine tree ahead.The leaders of the elves gathered here—Galandair, Abereth, Sherin, Tintage, and a few other elves that Danica and Cadderly didn't know.Their faces were rather grave, and though Galendelle said nothing at once about being interrupted, it could be seen from both men that the Elven King was not pleased at their presence. "I have translated this ancient book," Cadderly announced, holding up the book of Delaniel Quelquin for all to see. "Where did you get it?" Galandale demanded.

"He found it on top of Dionysia," Aberes explained, "and now owns it with my consent." Galandale glared at his son, but Abereth turned to Cadderly. "You don't have time to read the whole book," the elven prince pointed out, "how can you translate it?" "I didn't," Cadderly replied defensively, "I mean—" He paused, looking for a proper way to explain what he'd accomplished, and also to make sense of his own compulsion in Galandale. He calmed down under the stare. "I have deciphered the meaning of the ancient text." Cadderly continued, "These symbols are not difficult. We can read this book together and see what secrets it can provide."

The curiosity of some of the elves seemed to be piqued, especially Abeles and Xuelin.Abereth stood up and approached Cadderly, silver eyes blazing with renewed hope. "What would be of value in these pages?" Galandale asked sharply, his angry tone stopping his son halfway.A bewildered look crossed Cadderly's face, for the young scholar hadn't expected such a reaction. "You have given us false hopes," continued the Elven King, his anger undiminished. "There's more to this book than that," argued Cadderly. "In this book, I also read a very wonderful passage explaining how Delaniel Quelquin, the Elf King, awakened Simista." trees, and how those trees crushed an invading army of goblins!" It was so clearly similar to the thorny problem they were now facing that Cadderly had no idea that the news was received except with joy. In addition, what other reactions will you encounter.But Galandale seemed uncharacteristically unimpressed.

"We already know what you say!" snapped the Elf-King. "Do you think none of us Elves have read the Book of Delaniel Quelquin?" "I thought these ancient scripts were ancient and lost," Cadderly stammered.Danica put a hand on his shoulder, and the young scholar was grateful for the timely support. "It's lost now," Galandale replied, "but I read the book, too, centuries ago, when the words were still in circulation. I can still decipher them, if I set my mind to it, and If you want to do that." "You don't want to wake up the trees at all?" Aberez asked his father in disbelief.

Galandale's glare almost pierced through his brash son. "You speak it as if it were a simple magic spell." "That's not a spell," Cadderly interjected, "but a call, a call, to awaken the power of the forest." "A power long gone," Galendelle added. "How could you—" Abereth began, but Galendile cut him off. "This is not the first battle in Simista during my reign," the elf king explained.He seemed suddenly very old and frail, pale and hollow. "And I've read about the battles Delaniel fought, just like you," he said sympathetically to Cadderly, "and, like you, I've also read about the stories that happened long ago." Hope, with deep belief in the magic power of Simista."

"But the trees did not answer my call," continued the Elven King, and the two older elves sitting beside him nodded in agreement. "Not a single one. Many elves died fighting the invaders, perhaps more than they would have died, because their king was busy with other things than fighting alongside them." Cadderly seemed to see the elder elf's shoulders drooping even more as he recalled the grief. "That's a call from another age," said Galandale, his voice firm again. "It's a time when the trees were still sentient, sentinels in the Simista Forest."

"But aren't they really any more?" Xuelin interjected boldly. "Hamadin asked us to listen to their warning song." "Hamadin is a dryad," Galendelle explained, "more able to communicate with plants than any elf. In this world, she will hear the singing of plants. Don't let her flicker. Your current request gives you false hope." "We still have options," Aberez reminded his father. "The summoning won't work," Galandale insisted, in a tone that made it clear he felt the conversation was over. "You have our thanks, Scholar Cadderly," he said, with some condescension. "Your efforts have not gone unnoticed."

"Come on," Danica whispered into Cadderly's ear, taking his hand to get out of the clearing. "No!" Cadderly replied, freeing himself from her grip. "What are you going to do?" he snapped at Galandell.He approached the Elven King sitting directly across from the clearing, pushing the startled Abereth aside. "I've heard many elves admit that the invasion of Simista was too great for the elves to repel," Cadderly continued. "I've heard that there won't be enough reinforcements coming in time to save the forest. If these It’s all true, so what are you going to do?”

"That's why we meet here in private to discuss it," replied the Elf King sternly. "So what did you decide?" Cadderly shot back, not flinching. "Are you going to run away and leave the forest to the invaders?" Galandale stood up, meeting Cadderly's stare with the same determined gaze.Cadderly heard Danica rushing to protect him, and was surprised to hear Abereth stop her. "Most of the elves will go," admitted Galandale, "and some—" he said the words grimly, looking intently at Abereth, "—wish to stay and fight, Determined to hold back and punish these invaders until they themselves join the company of other dead elves."

"And you'll go to... Moezhi Library?" Cadderly asked, "and get out of there, maybe to Evermeet?" Galandale nodded gravely. "Our time in Simista is over, young priest," he admitted, and Cadderly could see that the words pained him deeply. Cadderly was not without sympathy for this, and he did not doubt that what Galandale said was true, but the elf king obviously did not consider that their actions would have other effects, especially in the entire region influence on fate. "As an emissary to the Library of Mood, I can assure you that you and your people will be welcome there, however long you wish to stay," Cadderly replied, "but as someone I have seen descend upon Those of you who have suffered in the library—and now Simista—must beg you to reconsider your strategy. If the forest falls, so will the people of the mountains, and I'm afraid the people of the lakelands to the west will too. We don't The enemy should be allowed to win so easily."

Galandale seemed to be on the verge of exploding. "You're sacrificing us?" he raged, his face inches away from Cadderly's. "You're sacrificing the lives of my people just to keep some humans alive." Go down? Let me tell you, we don’t owe you anything! Do you think that we offered our home peacefully? I’ve been living in Simista since before your precious library was built!” Cadderly wanted to argue, because Galandale's own words had proved that Simista was worth defending, and any possibility—including attempts to wake the trees—should have been resolved before the elves decided to leave their homeland. was brought to try.However, the young scholar was unable to do so.He could find nothing to counter Galandire's wrath, nothing to quench the elf-king's wrath.He didn't resist when Danica stepped forward again and pulled him toward the exit. "I thought I could help them," he said to her, without looking back at Galandale. "We all want to help," Danica replied gently, "that's why we're so frustrated." They walked away without saying anything, and heard an angry argument behind them in the pine bushes.They returned to the small camp to join Zilkhan Rufo and his dwarf brothers.The weight of the world seemed to bend Cadderly's shoulders. An hour later, Abeles, Xuelin, and Tintage join them with surprising news. "Are you sure you have deciphered all the ancient texts?" Aberes asked firmly.His jaw was set, and his eyes stared piercingly at Cadderly. "I'm sure," replied Cadderly, standing up abruptly, guessing what the brave elven prince was thinking. The expressions on the faces of Xuelin and Ding Taige showed that they were quite disturbed by this meeting. "What was the decision of the meeting?" Danica asked Aberez.She stood up beside Cadderly, looking sharply at the elven prince. Abeles stood there without flinching. "By my father's order, the elves will evacuate from the forest," he admitted. "We trade the land for life, and never return." "It was not an easy decision for Galandale," Tinteg said. "Your father has seen many elves die in the last few days." This sentence shocked Abeles, and Ding Taige, who disagreed with Aberes' actions, was obviously expecting this kind of reaction. "If Simista is offered to the enemy with both hands, their death will not be worth it," cried the elf prince. "We still have a choice, and I will not leave without trying." "You want to wake up the trees," Cadderly reasoned. "Ooh!" chimed in an amused Pikel, who really wanted to see such a druid-like display of magic.All three elves glanced disapprovingly at the chubby-shouldered dwarf. "Oh," Pikel whispered, eyes drooping. "With your help," Aberes said to Cadderly, "we should be able to regain the magic that existed so long ago. We will raise the entire forest against the invading army, and drive them back into the caves!" " The idea excited Cadderly, but he found that only he, Abereth, and perhaps Pikel held out considerable hope for it. "Your father didn't believe it," Danica reminded the elven prince. "He won't approve of your actions," Xuelin added. "How can we leave if we don't try?" Aberez asked. "If we fail, then act according to Galandale's plan, so what is the loss? If we succeed, if the forest comes alive, if the great trees become our companions, walk side by side with us..." Ding Taige and Xuelin squeezed out hopeful smiles.Danica looked to Cadderly, doubtful but ready to give Cadderly any form of support he needed. "I can show you the words," Cadderly said firmly. "Together we'll find the song of Delaniel Quelquin, and beg the trees to stand with us!" So the three elves left, and Cadderly, with a firm face, picked up the ancient book and turned to the exact page. Danica wanted to tell him about the possibility of wasting his efforts, wanted to warn him of the dire consequences for the already very low morale of the elves if he failed, but she watched her loved one so determined and determined. Sitting determinedly, concentrating on reading ancient books, she couldn't utter these words. Unnoticed, Zirkan Rufo slipped away. ※※※ Will the elves leave?The telepathic sound came, showing the little devil's excitement.What defenses would they leave behind?Where's little Cadderly?Tell me about Cadderly! "Set me free!" Rufo called back. "You've got enough information from me. Get out of the way and ask someone else." The lanky man could hear the imp's jeer in the distance. "The elves will leave," Rufo admitted, hoping to use this fact, which the enemy would find out sooner or later, as a cover for more important information. Is that all?The expected inquiry came. "That's all," Rufo replied. "Some elves will stay, just to slow you down, but others will leave, never to return." What about Cadderly? "He'll go with them, back to his place: the library," Rufo lied, knowing that if he leaked any other information, he would inevitably fall into another conspiracy. The echo of the imp's mocking laughter came again.You didn't tell me the whole truth, the thought of it came, but just the fact that you tried to hide what you couldn't hide revealed more than you thought.I will follow you, Zirkan Rufo, every step of the way.And I know that as soon as our conquest is complete, as soon as you face my mistress, the thing you do not wish to speak of will come to light.I assure you, she is not a merciful overcomer.Go, reconsider your tactics and lies.Think of the road ahead for Zirkan Rufo. Rufo felt the connection cut off, and he was alone, stumbling through the trees.A man who is haunted by ghosts. Danica was happy to see Cadderly's transformation, whatever the consequences of their desperate attempt.She had always known Cadderly to be a delicate man, frustrated by the violence he had been forced upon her, and by the destruction of so many good things - in beautiful Simista and in the library.Danica had no doubts how willing Cadderly was to fight back as much as he could.They stood in the same clearing where the elves had met earlier, hoping to make the attempt privately in case it failed—as Galendelle had predicted.Danica watched as Cadderly and Abereth prepared for the ceremony, the young scholar teaching the elves special tones and movements, and she almost allowed herself to believe that the trees of Simista would awaken and the forest be saved . Standing next to Danica were Tintage, Xuelin, and Pikel, who also seemed to hold similar unspoken hopes.But Ivan just mumbled a string of complaints, thinking they should all go out and "beat the orcs" instead of wasting time here calling "tree without ears!" When Abereth began to sing, several other elves appeared.The song is well-tuned and melodic, and it sounds quite appropriate under the mysterious tree canopy at night. Pikel, almost ecstatic, begins a dance.It was elegant by dwarven standards, but a little out of the ordinary in an elven forest.Still, Tintage and Xuelin couldn't help smiling as they saw the would-be druid's green-dyed, braided beard bouncing off his shoulders with every pirouette. Come and jump. Then Galandale walked between Xuelin and Danica, his angry expression was like a goblin attack, threatening the atmosphere of magic. "I beg you, don't interrupt them," Danica whispered to the Elven King, and to her surprise, he nodded sullenly, keeping quiet.His eyes fell on Pikel, his brow furrowed, and he turned his attention back to his son, who was lost in the old song. Danica saw tears welling up in the Elven King's eyes, and knew that Galandelle was looking at her own figure centuries ago.At that time, he cost the lives of many elves for failing to awaken the trees. Albereth's song stretched across all of Simista; Danica couldn't understand the words, but it seemed fitting for the forest, almost otherworldly, and more elf-like than Dionysy Tigfael's.Now many Elves gathered about the little clearing, not even whispering, but listening in silence to the magical call of their Prince. From an unknown distance came the howling of one wolf, followed by another, and yet another answer. Then, as if all too suddenly, Aberez's song ends.He stood in the middle of the small clearing, and Cadderly walked over to him, and they, along with all the others gathered, waited breathlessly for Simista's response. There was nothing but the howling of wolves, and the mourning dirge of the evening wind. "Tree without ears!" Ivan said after a while. "I said it's useless," Galendelle scolded them, momentary expectations taken away by the wide-eyed dwarf's remark. "Are you done with your stupidity? Can we start saving our people now?" Aberes looked at Cadderly with only remorse. "We tried," said the Elven Prince, "we tried." He turned, and walked slowly away to join his father. Cadderly stood in the middle of the small clearing, wondering exactly what had gone wrong.He moved the words of the ancient book with the light beam of the light tube. "It's worth a try after all," Danica said.She and the dwarf brothers came to join him. "It's really worth it." A giggling voice came, and they immediately recognized who it was.Turning their heads together, they saw Harmaddin the Dryad standing beside a pine tree opposite where Galendelle and the others had just left. "What do you know?" Cadderly demanded, walking toward the dryad. "You must tell us! The trees are not answering our calls, and you must know why." "Oh, they heard!" Hamadin replied, clapping happily.She moved behind a pine tree, then disappeared, and reappeared a moment later behind a tree a few feet away from the impatient young man. "They heard it!" "So are they starting to march on the enemy?" Cadderly said breathlessly, almost in disbelief. Harmadin's laugh mocked his expectations. "Of course not!" chirped the dryad. "These trees are young and don't have the power that the old ones have. You've got the wrong place, haven't you noticed?" Cadderly's discouraged look mirrored Danica's and Pikel's.Yiwen complained in a low voice, turned and left angrily. "But all the trees in the forest in this area heard the song of the elves," said Hamadin, trying to cheer them up, "and they were very happy." "That would do them a lot of good." Ivan cursed as he started to leave. Danica shared the same thoughts as the remaining three, and she whispered, "How happy will the trees be if they hear the sound of the orc's axes?" Hamadin's laughter stopped, and disappeared into the trunk of the pine tree. Later that night, the four companions were on the trail to the south, with Zirkan Rufo.Many elves accompanied them, though this group of elves did not walk the path like Cadderly and his friends did.The elves flickered in the shadows by the roadside, weary but cautious, while those without horses kept their range near the trees and slid silently over the tall, woven trunks. Xuelin found the group of travelers, dismounted from her horse, and walked beside them.But her presence didn't make them any easier, especially since she couldn't look Cadderly in the eye. "Behind us, they fought again," said the elven maiden, "as we will all the way from Simista." "Stupid orcs!" Ivan yelled angrily, and that was the only response from the group. "This time, King Galandale seems to be right." Xuelin continued. "We have nothing to lose," Cadderly replied, a little sharper than he would have liked. "But we did," said Xuelin, "because rumors of this defeat have spread. All the elves know that Simista will not rise up to fight by their side. Our hearts are heavy. Abereth Will continue to block the enemy, but few elves will stay to fight with him." Both Cadderly and Danica wanted to speak, but Ivan immediately dismissed their stubborn optimism. "No, don't think about it!" the dwarf insisted to the two men. "You will not stay, and neither will my brother and I." "Oh," said Pikel sadly. "This isn't our place," Ivan continued to growl, "and there's nothing we can do now to stop those monsters! There are too many damn things!" Shailene left them later, and neither Danica nor Cadderly could muster the courage to say goodbye to her.