flew in every direction. One caught her horse and blew it into dozens of bloody pieces that splattered the grass with gore. Vasha rolled and leaped back onto her feet.
"Depart, riders of the sky!" she shouted defiantly, shaking an outstretched fist. "Depart, or I will destroy you."
In reply to her challenge, an arrow twanged and exploded as it hit her shoulder. Vasha staggered from the blast but held her ground.
She was a Valharri, one of the lords of power, and it would take more than a power lance or enchanted arrows to destroy her. Slowly, she raised her hand, palm outward, and spoke a word. A fiery sphere shot from her hand and collided with one of the riders. There was a brief scream of pain as both griffon and rider plummeted toward the ground in flames. She began to generate another fiery sphere.
Meanwhile, two of the remaining Charachau warriors emerged from the cover of the trees to witness the battle, but another griffon rider's arrow was shot between them. As it struck the ground, a blue luminance engulfed the area around the arrow. The ground within the radius of the blast instantly became frost covered, frozen as if in the deepest of cold in winter. The Charachau stood motionless, rimmed with frost. Vasha struck repeatedly at the ever-growing host of riders, but their numbers were now becoming too great even for her vast powers; she also sensed a mighty presence drawing closer.
Seeing she was about to be overwhelmed, she muttered yet one final incantation and began to fade quickly as a grayish mist consumed her.
"Mark my words, Ragan, for your days are numbered!" she shouted. "When next we meet, I shall take pleasure in finishing from where I left off. We shall meet again. That is a promise of a Valharri." And with that, Vasha laughed again and dissipated into nothingness.
The battle was over, finally.
Gideon watched with personal physical relief and a disbelief at what was happening as the remaining Charachau demonspawn warriors were found and terminated by the energy lances. Slowly, he tried to rise from the ground, but he found that he hurt almost as much now as he did when his car was wrecked. He wiped the trickle of blood and debris from his eyes. The magical circlet had strangely remained on his head. He got the impression the device actually did help to protect him somewhat from Vasha's crushing grip. It was then that a tall, handsome, and more mature-looking fellow came over to him and offered his hand. Gideon accepted gladly and was pulled to his feet with ease.
"I feel terrible," he said in a mask of pain as he wiped the dirt from his clothes. As he was easily lifted, Gideon felt a tingling energy and noticed that the pain seemed to ease as if some healing force was at work. He looked at the fellow again and saw his ears were pointed and he had large tapered eyes. Whatever he was, he wasn't human. What had Vasha said? The Alor had come. The circlet Pyne Calandon had fashioned translated that to elves.
The Alor wore a silver-gray mesh armor that was covered in fine linked chain that accented the muscular curves of his body. The gloves on his hands had several strange rune symbols stitched along the upper forearm section. The cloak and mantle he wore over his armor also bore more of the strange symbols. On his head, he wore a silver circlet with three gemstones imbedded into it. On his hip, he carried a glowing wand and a rune-engraved longsword.
"You look as if you were in battle," said the elf. "But you live, which is an ending that you can well be proud of, for not many have stood against a Valharri and lived to tell tales of it later."
Gideon nodded and then remembered the wizard.
"Ragan, is he…?"
"He is alive. Taurihiri Ragan was already recovering as we arrived. This battle has cost him a fair amount of power, and he had already spent much power in masking his presence, among other things," said the elf.
"Thank you for rescuing us. My name is John. John Gideon," said Gideon, putting out his hand for a handshake.
The elf looked at his hand as if momentarily confused and then said, "What is this action, John Gideon? Do you wish me to grasp your hand? It appears to be a form of greeting."
"Yes. It's called shaking hands, and it's a custom where I come from. It's a sign of trust, greeting, and friendship," replied Gideon.
The elf smiled as he moved to shake Gideon's hand. "In that case…" he said. He took Gideon's hand and shook it. "I suppose an introduction is next in order after the shake. I am Garenthal Caylendril, a gilthondral of Calenfalas."
Gideon raised his eyebrows in thought as he remembered the instruction Ragan had given him on the nobility in this world. Then he asked, "Is that some kind of title of nobility?"
Garenthal laughed and then said, "You are not of our world, John Gideon. This I can sense in your mind. You travel with the Tauri Ragan, and he is helping you to understand our world. Anyway, in answer to your query, yes, I am a member of the nobility of Illúmaril; in fact, I am one of the highest of lords amongst the Alor."
"I'm sorry; I didn't know," said Gideon. "See, I come from a place that doesn't have much remaining nobility."
It was just at that moment that Ragan approached. He was sighing and dabbing a moist cloth to his forehead.
"Greetings, Your Grace, I hope our little problem has not inconvenienced you or delayed you too much?" said Ragan.
"Nonsense, Taurihiri Ragan," replied Garenthal with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Of course you have not. I was headed for Mindon to get supplies for my scout group when we sensed you and saw your danger. Besides, you are familiar with the well-known Alor saying, which states, 'Help a Tauri, you shall be blessed with good luck for the rest of your days.' I, of course, do not believe in superstition, but I do know that when a Tauri is in need, one should render them service." Then the elf lord grinned widely and said, "I will simply consider this a favor owed."
Ragan grimaced and then replied good-humoredly, "Agreed, Lord Garenthal. A favor it is then." Then, upon thinking for a moment, he added, "Since we are both traveling to the city of Mindon, might my ward and I might acquire passage with you?"
"Of course. I shall make the arrangements. But now, if you will excuse me, I must be tending to my troops and other tasks," and with that, he left.
"So that is an elf lord," said Gideon.
"Yes. His Grace is the equivalent of a grand duke on your Earth," replied Ragan. "It is a title he has earned and kept."
Gideon nodded in acknowledgement.
"I sensed something briefly when I was near him, and I think it may have triggered a sensation or something," stated Gideon.
"Yes. He is one of the Guardians," replied Ragan.
"Guardian?"
"Yes," replied the wizard. "I'll tell you about the Guardians at another time. Right now, you need to know that that woman is an enemy and a very powerful one at that."
"Really?" replied Gideon sarcastically. "I think my first clue that she was working with the forces of evil was when she tried to rip my face off!"
Ragan grunted in agreement at that and then said, "She has crossed deep into territory not under her people's control. She has escaped for now, but rest assured that she is still attempting to watch me and to track or scry for us. However, she will not attempt another attack on us as long as we are in the company of Lord Garenthal and his riders."
By now, many more of the griffons had landed and continued to land. The first group was part of a vanguard force. Gideon was not sure, but there were easily over a thousand, with more still arriving. These griffons seemed to Gideon like domesticated hybrids of giant eagles and lions. It seemed evident that both beast and rider needed rest from their long journey. Walking toward the encampment, Gideon noticed that Lord Garenthal was walking with another of the elves. As they passed, it seemed to Gideon that as Garenthal walked over the ground damaged by lance fire, the area began to heal. Grass sprouted and trees grew; the earth flattened even Vasha's barricade spikes; the remains of the tangling vines sank back into the regenerating crust, and it returned to how it was before.
Then, Gideon watched in horrified fascination