FOREVER KNIGHTS: #13 Salvaging Souls
Haunted By Serdepehe

The dogs moved as rapidly as the arrow, keeping pace with it as it pierced the demon rodent’s skin. Stunning it for the five gray dogs simultaneously pouncing. Already in the air when the arrow struck, they pulled the pieces apart ruthlessly. Shredding it.

Serdephe and her hounds moved on. Making their way through the trees.

The crone’s cottage came into their view. Tendrils of smoke climbing to the sky like wispy fingers. The hut was composed of a thick layer of brush and hay for roofing and rough stone walls reaching both levels.

He watched as though in a bubble trailing behind her. She entered the cottage familiarly and he seemed to creep through the crack in the door to accompany her. Watching her pulling an over shirt from her body and hanging her bow on a hook on the wall. She set her arrows against a stand and made her way to the fire to warm her hands.

The crone, Hales, was hunkered there and wrapped under several coverlets. Dark hair twisted with silver. Coughing heavily until blood seeped from the corner of her mouth.

Serdephe knelt near the bed and put a rag across the old woman’s forehead.

The old woman smiled fondly at her. “Thank God for you child.” She murmured.

Serdephe smiled softly but her sadness was apparent. “Rest, mother.” She directed tenderly. Dabbing the blood away. “All will be well soon.”

Tev sat upright and growled. Tossing back the coverlet, he stepped from his bed and ran his hands down his sides making clothing instantly appear. He pushed his white hair back from his face and moved it over his shoulder. Making the black leather appear around his crown, pinning his hair down. His blue-gray eyes glowed luminescing purple in the dark as he trudged his hut.

Going through the Northern Netherwood expertly he found the place where the trees opened to a perfect ring of grass. The NetherFey shimmering vibrantly as they hovered around it. Zealously guarding it.

He whistled rapidly at a speed mortals wouldn’t be able to.

The NetherFey scattered apart. Opening a path for him. He flexed his fingers and blue currents shot from his fingers to touch the grass which rattled free in a wide ring and peeled open to reveal the dirt stairs dropping deep.

He climbed down them. Taking in the smell of fresh dirt and vegetables. As it always smells down here. He walked a distance until it opened into huge stone tunnels. He wound through them until he started meeting the mill of people moving.

Nodding toward the purple eyed elves. Greeting them as he went.

“My King.” They’d lower their head and turn as he went by to ensure they honored him until he fully past.

As he walked into the giant opening of the one of the Main Rooms he was greeted by a few women that stroked his shoulders and back.

“Your robes my king?” They said in unison in echoey voices that reverberated against the walls of the chamber.

“No.” He sat down on his spined bone throne and the women pet his shoes and shoulders. Murmuring sweetly to him.

A man appeared to him. “Holding court, My Liege?” He tilted his head down in acknowledgement and the man stepped into the tunnels and shouted an announcement which echoed down every hall of the elven tunnels. Causing a flood of hammering footsteps as men and women crowded in to see him.

Whispering in their haunting voices. Their purple eyes glowing in a way that allowed them to see underground in the dark halls.

I should’ve considered more carefully before I killed their king. He’d been unaware that when you killed an elf it’s power was transmitted to their killer. Making his features a bit sharper to include the length of his ears which now came to high points.

Their spirits are neverending. Just transfer. And with the former king’s magic came the obligation of overtaking the crown.

I hadn’t even known he was a king. Only that he was cruel to elves I’d befriended. He sighed.

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