Out of the Hallow

Chapter 2 Visit with a master

Dante lit a fire outside of his adobe. Clan Master Dante lived closed off from the Hilltop villagers of the Elvish Red Forest Clan. His home was inset to the Hallow wall, deep in the shallows. Moonlight peered in through an opening in the cave ceiling. The night was peaceful, and birds sang from a nearby tulip sapling Dante planted a few days ago. He sat on a cold stone bench while cooking his evening meal. He usually ate alone near a warm fire but this time he was expecting company. He knew a warrior was coming. He was told a good man who would save them all was close. Dante heard footsteps. Eddipus was approaching.

"Warrior Eddipus. I heard you are coming to Clan Master Dante's. I has been waiting for you. I has known for some time, now."

"How did you know, Master Dante? Who could have told you?" Eddipus asked as he pulled up a small bolder and sat near Dante's fire. 

"I Heard it. Yes. Through the winds, through the breeze, from the Master." He paused for a moment. "My master." he continued. "I has heard it from the Earth. Or I has heard it from one of these cuties." 

He pointed to his sapling full of birds and chuckled. Eddipus scratched his head, confused. Dante had always been a little poetic in his speech. Not only was he poetic but he was also cryptic at times. It could bewilder half the village. Yet, such are the ways of a wise, half-crazed hermit Elve.

"Master, the birds talked? The breeze told you? I don't understand. Should I run to the magis?"

"Warrior Eddipus. Do you know nothing of sarcasm or wit? I has been using mystifying humor. I has your leg and pulled. Eddipus now has brought old Clan Master Dante something to study using his grand magic?"

"Yes, Master Dante. For my journey to save the Hallow's tree or a great war will befall the land as foretold."

Eddipus reached into his leather pack and pulled out the sage fruit. Dante seized the herb, bringing out a small, magnifying eyeglass.

"You will find, Eddipus that many things has foretold from elders. I has foretold stories as such too. Yes, tall tales a lot of them. Some of them true."

"All of mine are." A loud voice rang. Eddipus did not hear nor did he see the bright figure standing behind Dante. However, the grand master felt his presence and heard him clearly.

"Is it true? Will a war between our peoples and Man come to fruition if the tree isn't cured?"

"Yes, war will come. But where there's war there's sometimes hope, Warrior Eddipus. I has heard it that you're impassioned. Eddipus, you know it's against our highest of laws." Dante tisked "Shameful." He glanced past his eyeglass at Eddipus's Vidian pinned to his brown tunic.

"Master I.." He gasped but stopped midway as he looked back at Dante's slight smirk.

"Come now, Eddipus. I won't tell the silly villagers or those magi in their funny hats. I has known that ritual doesn't make it right. I has known some laws we should ignore."

The voice replied. A voice disembodied for the moment and if you looked at him you could become blind.

The voice didn't reach Dante's ears, but his heart.

"Some laws but mine."

It was the Master. A form of many forms. A master of many masters and the wisest of the wise. He could awaken mountains, calm seas, and make branches sway simply by walking quietly past. With just his breath, he could swing his terrifying fast fearsome sword. 

Dante heard him and heard him well. He answered his call without resistance every time. He nodded sharply in agreement and sat the sage fruit down.

Clasping his warm soup, Dante sipped. Just a silent nod of appreciation to his Master. He was neither boastful nor haughty. He feared sliding down a slippery slope. If he felt that he was slipping, he'd turn to his mental repository to speak with the Master from time to time.