Chapter IV
The half-elf Tannis was lying on the hard and cold ground in a cloak. He slept peacefully. But Caramon grabbed his shoulder again and shook him. Tanis, we need you! Tanis, wake up!
Get lost, Tanis said impatiently, rolling over and curling into a ball. I don't want to wake up. I'm tired of it, so tired. Why are you bothering me? Let me sleep…
Tanis!
He woke up in shock. He would have slept longer than usual, longer than he wanted. However, his sleep was not always so relaxed. It often made him feel that his limbs were heavy and his mind was in a daze. He blinked and looked up, expecting to see Caramon. He saw Rolana.
Jill's gone, she said. Tenny struggled to get rid of the nightmare, the heavy feeling. Disappeared? he repeated foolishly. Where?
I'm not sure, but I think-she choked. She wordlessly took out a piece of golden paper.
Tanis rubbed his eyes and sat up straight. Rolana sat beside him and hugged him gently. He read the invitation.
Where did you find this!
In…in his room. I didn't mean to peek. However…he didn't come down for breakfast. I thought he was sick again. I went up to take a look…She lowered her head and tears fell. There was no trace of him sleeping on his bed. His clothes were gone. This…this…in front of the window…on the floor…
She broke down. After a short period of silent struggle, she tried her best to calm down. I went to the stable to take a look. His horse was gone too. The butler didn't hear or look.
The old butler was already completely deaf. Even the Great Calamity might not be able to wake him up. Caramon tried to warn me that this would happen. I didn't listen to him. Tanis sighed. He subconsciously thought of this matter. This was the meaning of the dream.
Let me continue sleeping…
"It'll be all right, dear," Tanis said with false lightness. He kissed his wife and pulled her closer. Jill left this behind, knowing we would find it. He wants us to catch up. He wanted to be stopped. This was his childish act of independence, that was all. I'll find him at the Black Swan Inn, he'll be exhausted but too proud to admit it, pretending he's going on, hoping I'll talk him out of it. " You won't blame him, will you?" Rolana asked worriedly.
No, of course not. We'll talk from a man to man. It should have been like this a long time ago. Maybe he and I will spend the night outside and come back tomorrow morning.
Tanis felt very heartwarming when he thought of this idea. It was only now that he realized that he had never been alone with his son. They would have a good talk. Tannis would let Jill know that his father understood. Darling, this might really be good for our baby. Tanis got off the bed! He began to dress.
Maybe I should go too…
No, Rolana, Tanis said firmly. This is between Jill and me. He paused to prepare his clothes. Actually, you don't really understand why he did this, right?
" No young elf would do such a thing," Rolana said softly, tears welling up in her eyes.
Tanis bent down and kissed her smooth hair. He remembered that there was a Mi Elf youth who had escaped from his home to avoid his compatriots. The half-elf youth deliberately avoided her. He thought that his wife had probably thought of the same thing. The grace of the gods to humans was the desire for change.
Or rather, it was a blessing.
Don't worry, he said. I will bring him back safely.
If only he understood! We are willing to sacrifice everything for him…
Rolana kept talking, but Tanis was not listening. He heard the voice of another woman, another mother. What are you willing to sacrifice for your son? Your wealth? Your honor? Or your precious life?
These were Sarah's words. Sarah was the foster mother of Skan Brightblade.
Tanis remembered the vision with a chill. It had been many years since he had thought of that strange thing and had deliberately forgotten about it. He was once again standing in the dark fortress of Ariakon, the Takhisis knight. The dark clouds dispersed, and Thorinari's silver light passed through, allowing Tanis to suddenly see the danger and obstacles surrounding his weak son like a storm. Then, Thorinari was swallowed by the dark clouds again. The illusion disappeared. He had also completely forgotten about this matter.
Until now.
What happened? Rolana glared at him, feeling very scared.
She knew him too well! It was too…
He forced a comforting smile. I had a nightmare last night, that's all. I guess it still has a bit of an effect. It was related to war. You should know that.
Rolana knew. She had the same dream. She also knew that he wasn't telling the truth. It wasn't because he didn't love her, respect her, or trust her, but because he couldn't tell her. From a very young age, he had learned to hide the conflicts, struggles, and fears in his heart. Exposing a weakness would only give others a chance to exploit it. She couldn't blame him. She knew how he had grown up. As a half-human in the elven society, Quirinastri only accepted him out of sympathy and pity. But he had never been truly accepted. The elves always reminded him of his identity. He would always be an outsider. What should he do with Lasha? She skillfully changed the topic.
I'll take care of Rasha, Tanis said sternly. I should have guessed that he was the mastermind. He is always playing politics. I wonder why Boxiu Tu tolerates him.
Monk Bo has other concerns, my dear. Now that Sivanasti was no longer affected by Lorrak's nightmare, Monk Bo could finally go back to deal with the situation in his hometown.
Lorrak's nightmare. Lorrak was once the king of the elves and the ruler of Sivanasti before the War of the Spear. Worried that his home would fall into the hands of the Dark Queen's army, Lorrak tried to use the powerful Dragon Ball to save his people and his land. Unfortunately, Lorrak became the victim of the Dragon Ball's magic. The evil Green Dragon, Azure Bloodburst, occupied Sivanasti and whispered endless nightmares into Lorrak's ears.
The nightmare became reality. Sivanas had obtained the evil land that was ravaged by ghosts, real evil creatures, and terrifying monsters in Lorrak's fantasy.
Even after he was defeated by the darkness and Lorrak died, Sivanasti still hadn't completely escaped the shackles of darkness. For a long time, the elves fought against the nightmare and the evil dark creatures that were still wreaking havoc on the earth. Tannis thought of Lorrak's nightmare, and it formed a familiar contrast with today's situation. Once again, some elves acted irrationally out of fear. There were some old-fashioned elves, like Senator Rasha…
Alhana was pregnant. At least for now, Monk Bo could temporarily forget about so many annoying things. Tannis put on his leather armor and tried to create a more relaxed atmosphere.
Rolana looked at the armor. She knew that unless her husband expected danger, he would never wear leather armor casually. She bit her lip and held herself back from speaking. She continued chatting with him.
I know that Arhanna is very happy. She had wanted children for a long time. And I think Monk Boros would be happy too, though there's nothing special about him pretending to be a father. He was just doing his duty to the people. I saw the warmth between them that had been missing for so many years. I really believe they're starting to care about each other.
'It's about time,' Tanis muttered. He had never liked his brother-in-law. He put on his traveling cloak, picked up his luggage, and bent down to kiss his wife's cheek. Farewell, my dear. If we don't come back soon, don't worry too much.
Oh, Tanis! Rolana looked at Tanis uneasily.
Don't be afraid. The child and I need to have a good talk. I only understand now. This should have been done long ago, but I always hoped…He paused for a moment and thought, I will bring your concern.
He hung up his sword, kissed his wife again, and left quickly.
His son's footprints were easy to recognize. The spring rain had been raging in Solanthus for more than a month. The ground was very muddy, and the hoof prints were deep and clear. Sir William was the only one who had passed through this road recently. He had come to deliver a message from Caramon, and he was heading in the opposite direction, towards Solania. The Black Swan Inn was on the way to Quirinesti in the south.
Tanis was riding calmly. The early morning sun was a fiery crack in the sky, and dewdrops glistened on the grass. The weather the night before had been cool enough to make people in cloaks feel comfortable without feeling too cold.
Jill must have been very comfortable, Tanis told himself. He thought guiltily of another young man running away at midnight on another day. When I left, I didn't have a horse. I walked from Quirinesti to Solace to find Flint. I have no money, no common sense, and no experience. It's a miracle that I survived.
Tanis smiled nostalgically and shook his head. But my clothes were so shabby that no robber would notice me. I don't have money to stay in the hotel, so I won't get into a conflict with anyone. I spent the whole night strolling under the stars, glad that I finally had a chance to take a deep breath.
Ah! Jill. Tanis sighed. I actually did something to you that I swore I would never do again. I bound you and suppressed you. The chains were made of love and silk, but they were still chains. But how can you expect us to have a choice? Son, you are too precious to me! I love you so much. If anything bad happens to you…
Shut up, Tanis! He scolded himself severely. You're just worrying for nothing. You also know what price this pointless waste will cost you. The weather was good today. Jill will have a pleasant journey. We'll talk tonight, have a good talk. Actually, I'll listen if you say it. I promise.
Tanis continued to follow the horse's tracks. He saw Jill letting the horses gallop, and the humans and beasts enjoying the taste of freedom. But then the young man slowed down and walked forward at a reasonable pace so that the horse would not be exhausted.
Well done, boy, Tanis said proudly.
In order to be distracted, he began to think about how to tell Lasha of Taras Ansia. Tannis knew the elf very well. Lasha and Cultivator Bo were close in age and had no interest in anything other than scheming. He was the youngest elf to become a Senator. Rumor had it that he bombarded his father with fatigue until he finally broke down under the pressure and gave up his throne to his son. During the Spear War, Lasha had always been the thorn on the back of the Sun Warrior Solastron. The heir of Solastron, Monk Bo, was also forced to endure this annoying minister.
Lagon insisted that the elves should remain isolated from the world. He did not hide his approval of Pope Ishtar's bounty on the heads of the dwarves and Kander. However, Lasha would make a change: He would add humans to the bounty list.
This made the whole situation extremely complicated. Why did this cunning spider want to lure a young man with a quarter human bloodline into its net?
" No matter what," Tanis said from behind his beard." This will give me a chance to settle the feud between you and me, old friend Rasha." I remember every contemptuous word you said, that whispered insult, that cruel joke. The violence you and your friends have inflicted on me. I couldn't beat you then, but Paladin is my witness, and no one can stop me this time.
The sight of a fist hitting Rasha's pointed chin made Tanis feel happy all morning. He didn't know why Rasha was looking for his son, but he knew that it was definitely not a good thing.
Too bad I didn't tell Jill about Rasha, Tanis mused. It's a shame I never told him about my early life in Quirinesti. Maybe I shouldn't have cut him off from there. If we hadn't done this, he would've known what Rasha and his kind were like. No matter how cunning the Senator's scheme was, he would not fall for it. But, Jill, I just want to protect you. I don't want you to suffer like me. 'I…'
Tanis pulled the reins. He turned the horse around. This was bad. He stared at the dirt road, his heart surrounded by a chill of fear.
He jumped off his horse and looked carefully. The mud began to harden under the scorching sun, preserving all the process. In all of Klein, there was only one creature that would leave such footprints: Three of its front paws were deeply embedded in the mud, while one of its hind paws and the tail of a reptile were wriggling.
Dragonians…four Dragonians.
Tanis examined the traces. His horse smelled the footprints and retreated secretly.
Tanis seized the horse and pressed its head against the tracks until it got used to the smell. He mounted his horse again and followed the tracks. This could be a coincidence, he told himself. The dragonmen might have just happened to walk in the same direction as Jill.
But after a mile, Tanis finally confirmed that the caged men were following his son.
Somewhere along the way, Jill rode off the main road and came to a clearing by the road and beside a stream. At the same spot, the dragonmen also left the main road. The dragonmen carefully followed his son. After walking for some distance by the stream, they followed the hoof prints back to the main road.
Apart from that, Tannis also noticed that the Drakonids were careful not to be discovered. At many different points along the road, the paw prints left the road and hid in the safety of the trees.
This road was not considered deserted. Farmers and knights would occasionally use this road. If these Drakonids were ordinary thieves who made a living by robbing, they would attack the farmers who were left alone without hesitation, stealing their carriages and horses. These dragonmen were dodging the travelers that passed by. It was obvious that they had a special purpose.
But what was the connection between the Drakonids and Rasha? That elf was indeed good at scheming, but colluding with dark creatures was not his style.
Tannis rode his horse and galloped away uneasily. It seemed that the footprints had been there for several hours, but he was not far from the Black Swan Inn. The inn was located in a small town. The four Drakonids would not dare to venture into a densely populated area. No matter what they wanted to do, they had to do it before Jill arrived at the inn.
This meant that Tanis might be too late.
He rode along the path, deliberately maintaining a certain speed. His eyes stopped on the footprints, and he saw Jill's hoof prints and the Drakonid's claw prints. The young man obviously didn't know that he was being followed. He rode his horse with ease, enjoying the new freedom and fresh air. The dragonmen had never deviated from their goal.
Then, Tanis deduced when they would strike. A few miles outside the town, the road turned into a heavily wooded area. The oak and walnut trees were very thick, and the tangled branches surrounded the road, blocking the sun and encircling the road in deep shadow. In the days after the Great Calamity, the forest was said to be the cradle of bandits. Even today, this place was still called the Bandit Land. The cave extended along the mountain wall, providing a place for the bandits to hide and preserve their belongings. This was the perfect place for an ambush.
Tannis spurred on, full of fear. He almost bumped into a farmer. The farmer was shouting and shouting, but he didn't know what was going on. Tanis did not want to waste time answering. The forest was right in front of him, and in front of him was a dark green forest.
The shadows of the forest covered them, and in an instant, the day turned into dusk. The temperature dropped significantly. Sunlight shone through the gaps between the branches. Compared to the darkness around him, the sunlight was almost blinding. But soon, even the remnants of the sunlight disappeared, and the forest surrounded him.
Tanis slowed down. Although he knew that it was just a waste of time, he still did not dare to miss the clues that might have been left on the ground.
Soon, he saw the place where the clue had stopped.
No matter how fast he rode, he would not miss this sight. The soil was stirred up so much that it was almost impossible to tell what had happened. The hoof prints were covered by the Drakonid's claw prints, and he occasionally found the slender footprints of elves. Other than that, there were also some strange claw marks. Although it looked familiar, Tanis could not tell where it came from.
He jumped off his horse and carefully searched the area. He forced himself to be patient and not miss a single detail. This did not bring any comfort, only deeper fear. After the mud was completely destroyed, there were no more footprints.
Jill's footsteps stopped there and did not continue.
But what happened to him?
Tanis returned to the scene and searched the bushes on both sides. His patience had paid off. Horseshoes turned from the main road into the forest. On both sides of the hoof prints were the claw prints of the Dragonians.
Tanis cursed. He returned to the horse and tied it to the side of the road. Then he took the bow and quiver from the saddle and slung them over his shoulder. He drew his sword from its sheath and quietly entered the forest.
His old hunting and stealth techniques suddenly surfaced in his mind. He thanked himself for his foresight (or was it because of the illusion in Gale Stronghold?)，He brought a longbow and quiver, and put on his soft leather boots. In these peaceful days, it had been a long time since he had carried these pieces of equipment. He looked around. He moved silently among the trees, not daring to step on any branches or disturb any creatures.
The forest grew thicker and thicker. Now, he was far away from the road and was pursuing the four Dragonians alone. This was not a good idea.
He continued walking forward. They caught his son.
The hoarse guttural voice, a language that made one's skin itch, brought back unpleasant memories and made Tanis slow down. He held his breath and quietly moved forward, moving from tree to tree, approaching his prey. Sure enough, they were there, at least most of them were. The three Dragonians stood at the entrance of the cave and conversed in a strange language. Gill's horse was tied with a delicate hand-made saddle and a mane with ribbons. The animal was trembling in fear, and there were traces of being beaten on its body. Although it was not a trained warhorse, it had obviously resisted the enemy before. One of the Dragonians cursed at the horse and pointed at a bloody scar on the scales on his arm.
But Jill was nowhere to be seen. He could stay in the cave with the fourth Drakonid. But why? What did they do to him?
What had they done?
At least, the fact that there were only green bloodstains on the ground made Tanis feel more at ease.
He chose the Drakonid closest to him as his target. Tannis approached with footsteps that were quieter than the wind. He drew his bow, nocked an arrow, aimed at his cheek, and shot an arrow. The sharp arrow pierced into the spot between the two wings on the Drakonid's back. The monster let out two painful gurgles and fell to the ground, dead. His corpse immediately turned into stone, blocking the arrow. Unless there was no other choice, one should never attack the Baz Dragon with a sword.
Tanis quickly nocked another arrow. The second Dragonian drew his sword and turned toward him. Tannis shot an arrow. The arrow hit the Dragonite's chest. He dropped his sword and held the wound from the arrow. Similarly, he fell to the ground without moving.
" Don't move," Tanis said hoarsely in the common language that the Drakonids could understand.
The third dragonman's sword had yet to be unsheathed. It was as if it had been frozen, and his dark eyes searched the surroundings.
My arrow has your name on it, Tanis continued, and it's aimed right at what you monsters call your hearts. Where did you take the boy you captured earlier? What did you do to him? You have ten seconds to tell me, or you will end up like your companions.
The Drakonid said a few words in his own language.
" Don't play dumb," Tanis growled. Your common language might be better than mine. What about the boy? Ten seconds had almost passed. If you-
Tanis, good friend! It's good to see you again, said a voice. It had been a long time.
A tall and handsome elf with brown hair and brown eyes walked out of the cave.
Tannis tried his best to suppress his trembling hands and continued to aim, but his palms were almost completely drenched in sweat, and his heart was torn apart by intense fear.
Where is my son, Dalama? Tanis shouted hoarsely. What did you do to him?
Put down the bow, old friend, Dalama said gently. Don't force them to kill you. Don't force me to do it.
Tears of helplessness and despair blurred Tanis 'vision. He insisted on not putting down the bow and was about to let go, not caring what target he hit.
The sharp claws grabbed his back and pressed him down. A heavy object hit his head. Tannis's head was about to explode. No matter how he struggled, the darkness slowly surrounded him.
This book is provided by FunNovel Novel Book | Fan Fiction Novel [Beautiful Free Novel Book]