Chapter 5.

Getting back to the Elvish castle, the sky was almost bright, so they couldn’t proceed with the rescue operation, thus they waited for the whole day, even as they observed the security in the castle, by watching the drows on patrol.

When the night was there again, they split themselves into five groups, and sneaked into the castle to find out where they were keeping the elves prisoners.

It wasn’t up to three hours after they entered the castle, the security horns were blown, notifying the entire castle of intruders because a drow was found dead.

“They are back.” Merethyl said to Calaudra whom she was locked up with. They kept the two of them separate from the rest of the elves because they were royalty.

“No, they shouldn’t have come back.” Calaudra said in disappointment. He had seen in his visions what would happen if a rescue was attempted by the runaways.

“What are you talking about, uncle?” Merethyl was confused, she wanted to get out of there by all means but didn’t know how.

“Shhh,” Berilan showed up on the other side of the gate with two other elves in his company as he unlocks the gate for them to come out.

“What are you doing here?” Calaudra asked him because he was expecting him to be there after sending him away.

“I’ll explain that later. For now we need to know where they are keeping the rest of the elves.” Berilan replied.

“Have you checked the dungeons?” Merethyl asked.

Their minds didn’t go there because they didn’t consider the drows foolish to keep them in the first place anyone would look. “They can’t be there.”

“That is where they are keeping them, but we can’t go there. We’ll be walking into a trap.” Calaudra answered.

“Take him out of here. The others will need our help.” Berilan said to Merethyl and one the elves with him.

“I’m coming with you, Beri.” Merethyl refuse to leave.

“My lady,” one of the elves wanted to convince her otherwise.

“It’s an order. Now go.” Merethyl stopped him from completing his words.

The elf expected Berilan to talk to the princess but he couldn’t do that at the moment, so he nodded, implying that he did as she had instructed. So off they parted ways, with the Calaudra and the elf heading out of the castle, while Merethyl, Berilan and the other head for the dungeons.

Getting to the dungeons, it was just as Calaudra had said, the other four groups that came into the castle with Berilan were surrounded after unlocking the prison gates. But that would not stop them from fighting their way though.

A lot more elves at that spot due to the lack of weapons and others were recaptured again as the drow commander needed them alive. But Berilan, Merethyl, Marc, Ruven and Unae managed to fight their way though, following a secret passage that led to the rivers.

After confirming that the drows were not following them, they stopped running, breathing very hard, as Ruven said to Marc. “You made it.”

That question made Merethyl attention to be drawn to him as such noticing he was different. “What is a human doing here?”

“Merethyl, now is not the time. Everything will be explained to you later. For now, we need to head to cave.” Berilan answered on Marc’s behalf.

“We need to go back.” Marc said because he didn’t see his so-called father. He wasn’t bothered about what just happened in there.

“Are you insane?” Ruven rebuked him at this moment, he didn’t want to consider his opinion again because it had brought about losing more elves than before. Now he believed what Berilan said about Marc being interested in finding his father and nothing else.

Knowing why he was still making such suggestions, Berilan answered. “Let’s hope he made it out. Your sister must be waiting.”

“Sister? There is another human?” Merethyl was full of surprise because Berilan didn’t sound like the cousin she knew anymore.

******

Calaudra Ethren and Ristel Eroth were the first to return to the cave since they got out of the castle before the other. Entering the cave, Githa was nowhere to be found so Ristel suspected she had hid herself after hearing them approach, so he called out. “Little girl, you can come out now, it's Ristel.”

Hearing the name, Githa slowly peeped out from behind a rock before coming out after confirming his identity. “Where is my brother?”

“Who is this? And what is a human doing in this cave?” Calaudra asked Ristel.

“My lord, this is Githa, a human Lord Berilan returned with.” Ristel answered Calaudra first before responding to Githa. “He should be on his way with the others. Help me.” He asked for her assistance because Calaudra hasn’t recovered fully from his battle wounds. His condition was even getting worse because the drows denied him treatment.

After he was laid on a road to rest, he asked. “Did Berilan find his brother?”

Before the question would be answered, noise was heard from the entrance so Ristel drew his sword again ready to protect Githa and Calaudra if it happens to be the enemy. Luckily, it wasn’t, so he put down his swords as he saw Berilan walk in with the others.

“Brother,” Githa ran and hugged Marc.

“You were told to wait for us?” Berilan scolded Ristel because they looked for him to no avail before heading back to the cave.

“Lord Caluadra ordered that we leave and wait any further.” Ristel defended himself.

Marc walked close to the rock Calaudra laid on, as he asked Berilan, “It this him?”

“You must be Thola’s son, my blood?” Calaudra felt the connection at once.

“Why? Why did you abandon us?” Marc was impatient to get answers.

“I swear it was for your safety. But I now realize my mistake.” Calaudra confessed.

“My safety, how?”

“I didn’t want to drag you into our fight.”

“If that is the case, why then am I here?” Marc needed a better explanation.

But Berilan interrupted, he also had questions for his father, “I found him father. Now can you tell us what this is all about? What do we have to prepare for?”

“The end of all that is good. Evil has been reborn and all races must come together to stop it. The elves, humans, dwarves, and even the most despised of all must learn to fight alongside one another in order to conquer evil,” Calaudra spoke to all that were in the cave present.”

“You saw this in your visions?” Unae asked, being the only one that believes in his vision from the onset.

“Yes Unae. Many will die if our differences are not put aside and evil will once again rule over good.”

“There must be another way to stop this. We have magic, it can be used.” Unae said again.

“Your magic alone cannot stand against theirs. You are the last of the elfish magicians who stand for good. The humans will soon switch sides after realizing the power of evil.” Calaudra spoke directly to Unae.

“And what about the dwarves, they’ll never side with evil and their spells are powerful. I read of their strong will in the scrolls.” Merethyl said.

“That is the more reason they will withdraw to the mountains, shielding the last of their kin with these spells.” Calaudra answered his niece, before saying to his two sons. “The fate of good rests on your hands my sons.”

“What do we do now father?” Berilan asked.

“Work together.” He answered and then signaled Marc to bring his ears closer.”Under no circumstances should you take off the ring.”

Berilan was expecting a more précised answer than what he got, so he was disappointed, but didn’t have to show it. “Merethyl, you are the one to lead us now.'' He pushed the responsibility to her since she had more right to lead the elves than himself.

Merethyl having paid close attention to all the words of Calaudra, she refused. “No Beri, we’ll all work together.” She looked at their faces one after another.