Chapter 11

 

 

It was almost nightfall by the time they arrived at a camp the Elvin King had set up at the feet of the Midnight Mountains. Here they were greeted by more elves who were overjoyed that Mogrom had been defeated.

 

Dom was put into one of the tents, still asleep but with restful look on his face. It made Jena feel happy that he would be all right and she left in the tent. A fire had been lit in the centre of the camp and here a meal was prepared. They sat down to eat and Eldor told King Nemon about their journey.

 

‘All of Lendor will be thankful that Mogrom is finally gone,’ Nemon said once he had finished. ‘Without her the goblins will not give us much trouble either.’

 

‘Unfortunately we are not quite rid of Mogrom, Nemon,’ Eldor said. ‘She will have survived.’

 

‘But... but we saw her fall into the hole in the floor!’ Jena exclaimed.

 

‘That’s right!’ Nyssa agreed.

 

‘Yes, but she is still a sorceress,’ Eldor replied.

 

‘Then she is still a threat,’ Nemon said grimly.

 

‘Yes, but with the destruction of her castle, much of her magic power went with it. It will be some time before she can be a threat again.’

 

‘Then we can still be grateful for what has happened,’ Nemon replied, then looked down at Jena sitting on a log next to him. ‘And it’s a wonder to have gnomes again in Lendor. Will your folk be returning for good, Jena?’

 

‘I’m not sure,’ she replied. ‘It would be nice though.’

 

‘That will be up to the fairies,’ Eldor said. ‘But with Mogrom’s threat lessened, it could very well happen.’

 

‘Well, what I want to know is how the castle collapsed,’ Nyssa said. ‘What did you do Eldor?’

 

Eldor smiled at her.

 

‘I didn’t do anything, Nyssa,’ he said. ‘But if you think back on how we entered it, you will have your answer.’

 

Nyssa frowned for a few moments and then her eyes opened wide.

 

‘Good elves!’ she exclaimed. ‘It was the crystals in the tunnel... when the sun came up!’

 

‘Exactly,’ Eldor nodded. ‘When the sun rose this morning its light shone down it as well. Moonlight to open the door, sunlight to shatter the pillars beneath the castle. Without their support the castle collapsed.’

 

‘What about that poor troll I put to sleep?’ Jena asked in sudden alarm. ‘Will it have survived?’

 

‘Oh, I think it will be all right. Mountain trolls are tough creatures and your spell would not have lasted long,’ the wizard replied, then suddenly chuckled.

 

‘What’s so amusing, Eldor?’ King Nemon asked.

 

‘Well, I was just thinking that it might have some company now. Mogrom would have ended up in the cavern as well. The troll would have finally met its jailer on equal terms.’

 

‘Oh, that poor troll!’ Jena exclaimed.

 

‘It will be all right, Jena,’ Eldor reassured her. ‘Just don’t suggest we go back up there and rescue it.’

 

Everyone laughed at that, though Jena went a bit red. She had been thinking about that very thing.

 

* * *

 

In the morning she was rudely woken by a rough shaking and a voice demanding that she wake up. She opened her eyes to find Dom kneeling beside her with a puzzled expression on his face.

 

‘Dom!’ she exclaimed. ‘You’ve recovered!’

 

‘Recovered!’ Dom replied. ‘Recovered from what... and where are we?’

 

‘We’re at the feet of the Midnight Mountains, Dom. Mogrom has been defeated and her castle destroyed... though not before you tried to give her my bracelet.’

 

‘I did not!’ Dom protested, having no idea what she was talking about.

 

‘You did so!’ Jena frowned at him. ‘Don’t you remember?’

 

Dom shook his head.

 

‘All I can remember is being taken to Mogrom’s castle by the ravens. I almost got eaten by a morg and then Mogrom gave me something to drink. The next thing I know, I’ve woken up here.’

 

‘And that’s all you’ll be able to remember, Dom,’ said Eldor’s voice and they looked up to see the wizard stepping into the tent. ‘You drank a potion, Dom. You won’t remember anything that happened whilst under its spell.’

 

‘So I missed everything!’ Dom said in disappointment.

 

Eldor chuckled as he knelt beside them.

 

‘I rather think that’s not such a bad thing. Now, we’re leaving soon so if you want breakfast...’

 

‘Breakfast! Dom exclaimed. ‘How many meals have I missed?’

 

‘A few I would say,’ Eldor replied.

 

‘I feel faint!’ he muttered weakly.

 

‘I’m sure you can make up for it!’ Jena laughed, slapping her brother on the back.

 

* * *

 

It took them several days to return to the Deep Woods and Eldor’s cottage. They travelled slowly as the four adventurers were weary from their ordeal. King Nemon and the elves escorted them to the edge of the woods before heading home. Before he left he asked Jena and Dom to come and visit the elves soon if they returned to the Quiet Woods. The pair happily agreed that they would.

 

It was almost dark when they arrived at the cottage. Once inside Nyssa got a fire going and Eldor prepared supper for them. Soon they were all enjoying some pumpkin soup and crusty bread, whilst Moonwing dozed on his perch above the fireplace. Eldor had to sit on one of the table stools, something that didn’t please him all that much.

 

‘As soon as you two go home, I must make myself a new rocking chair,’ he said.

 

The gnomes laughed.

 

‘But how are we going to get home, Eldor?’ Dom asked.

 

‘The same way that your ancestors went, Dom,’ the wizard replied. ‘There is only one way and that is through the underground river. They should be here near dawn.’

 

‘I hope you come back to live in Lendor,’ Nyssa said hopefully. ‘I’ll miss you if you don’t.’

 

They went to bed soon after, tired after a long day. Jena thought she had only just dropped off to sleep when she was woken suddenly by the sound of humming. She sat up smartly to find the cottage door open and the air beyond shimmering with silvery light. She gave a still slumbering Dom a shove.

 

‘Wake up, Dom!’ she exclaimed. ‘The fairies are here!’

 

He woke up with a mumbling groan, then sat up as he heard the humming. He looked toward the door just as five silvery balls of light swept into the cottage. In the next moment five fairies were hovering above them, their wings a silvery glow. Tani was one of them, but it was another fairy that landed before them.

 

‘Hello, Jena. Hello, Dom,’ she said. ‘I am Erin, Queen of the Fairies.

 

Jena and Dom said hello, though Jena frowned as the Queen looked familiar to her. Then it came to her.

 

‘You were the fairy in my dream!’ she said in wonder.

 

‘That’s right,’ Erin smiled. ‘I sensed that you were in danger and sent the dream to help you. Now, are you ready to go home?’

 

‘Yes, please!’ the gnomes said together.

 

‘Then let’s be off.’

 

The other fairies took them by their hands and lifted them into the air.

 

‘But where are Eldor and Nyssa?’ Jena asked in alarm, worried that they would miss seeing them again.

 

‘Don’t worry,’ Erin replied. ‘You’ll see them soon.’

 

When they flew out of the cottage Jena and Dom gasped in wonder. Hundreds of fairies were hovering in the air about the cottage. Their humming filled the air and the clearing was brightly lit by the glow of their silver wings. Then Erin led them away and they headed down the forest trail toward the river.

 

They soon reached it and the fairies flew upriver, the water gleaming in the light of their wings. Then just as dawn lit the eastern sky they saw the lofty peaks of their mountains ahead. Then they heard the rumbling sound of the waterfall. They swept around a bend and saw its dark waters spilling out of the tunnel.

 

Jena was still afraid that they would not see Eldor and Nyssa again. But as they approached the waterfall they saw the glow of the wizard’s staff. Then he and Nyssa appeared standing on a small rock ledge to one side.

 

As they reached them Eldor lifted his staff and tapped the ledge sharply. Immediately the waterfall ceased to flow and its rumbling faded away.

 

‘Hello, there!’ he said. ‘I’ve stopped the waterfall so we can hear ourselves talk.’

 

‘We thought we’d missed you!’ Dom said.

 

‘We would never do that, Dom,’ Nyssa said. ‘But we had to leave early. The fairies can’t carry us.’

 

‘And so this is goodbye... for a while,’ Eldor said.

 

‘Yes, I suppose it is,’ Jena agreed sadly.

 

‘Then till we meet again, take very good care of yourselves.’

 

‘We will!’ Dom promised.

 

‘Goodbye, Jena. Goodbye, Dom!’ Nyssa called out as the fairies carried them off into the tunnel.

 

‘Goodbye, Nyssa,’ they called back.

 

Eldor and Nyssa watched the fairies fly up the tunnel in a bright silver cloud. Then they swept around a bend and were gone.

 

‘How long do you think it will be before the fairies return with the gnomes, Eldor?’ Nyssa asked.

 

‘Oh, perhaps a little time, Nyssa,’ he replied. ‘There will be much to talk about with the entire village.’

 

Eldor turned away from the ledge, but Nyssa tugged him on his cloak.

 

‘Eldor!’ she said in a scolding tone.

 

‘What?’ he asked as he stopped.

 

‘The waterfall!’ she laughed, pointing at the fact that it wasn’t flowing.

 

‘Good wizards!’ Eldor muttered and tapped the ground with his staff.

 

Immediately water gushed out of the tunnel and the air filled with its rumble.

 

‘You’re getting forgetful again, Eldor!’ Nyssa shouted above it.

 

‘Nonsense!’ he snorted as they stepped away from the ledge. ‘I just need a nice long sleep after all this.’

 

Nyssa laughed.

 

‘After you’ve made yourself a new rocking chair!’