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  MYSTIC FAERIE WAR

  MYSTIC FAERIE WAR

  BY

  JAMES DAY

  BOOKS BY THE AUTHOR

  SHANNON SERIES

  MYSTIC VENGEANCE

  MYSTIC VENGEANCE BOOK TWO

  MYSTIC VENGEANCE BOOK THREE

  FIRESTORM SERIES

  MYSTIC FIRESTORM

  MYSTIC FIRESTORM BOOK TWO

  MYTSIC FIRESTORM BOOK THREE

  FAERIE WAR SERIES

  MYSTIC FAERIE WAR

  MYSTIC FAERIE WAR BOOK TWO

  MYSTIC FAERIE WAR BOOK THREE

  HEROES SERIES

  REALMS OF SHANNON HEROES BOOK ONE

  REALMS OF SHANNON HEROES BOOK TWO

  REALMS OF SHANNON HEROES BOOK THREE

  MYSTIC FAERIE WAR

  Copyright © 2020 by James Day

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this book are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  The opinions expressed in this book are solely the opinions of the author and do not represent the opinions or thoughts of the publisher. The author has represented and warranted full ownership and or legal right to publish materials in this book.

  DEDICATION

  This book is dedicated to Tom and Gloria who were there at the very beginning many years ago.

  ONE

  The sun rose high on the Elven Kingdom of Queen Ellandree and King Allergeron. The Elves continued finishing their work in Fallsridge. The ivory towers were built into the mountain with cobblestone bridges, hamlets and a small city existed in the Elven Kingdom. The Elves had flourished creating a vast army while taking care of the forests around them. The outskirts of the Elven Kingdom had huge white canopy trees with glistening emerald green leaves which gave off a coppery glow that was magical. The magic kept the forests alive and armies had inhabited the elven forests that had been named, Elvengrove. The trees twisted hundreds of feet into the air and provided rooms with bridges of twisting branches that towered high over the lands. But Fallsridge was a speckle to be seen, waterfalls from the tops of the mountains showered down in throughout the Kingdom feeding into new rivers that had been formed. These rivers were fed by the Spellmakers which were now many. The Elf in charge of the Spellmakers was called, Llyendrie and he had mastered all of the ancient texts in the Elven Chronicles.

  Shydrie was second in command, a She-Elf Warrior who was put in charge of the protection of the elven race. She commanded the Elven Archers and King Allergeron controlled the army which was huge. All elves were required to enlist in the army and take on combat skills.

  The main tower rose high in white ivory with twisting torrents, balconies and rooms, steps wound around with fully furnished rooms, paintings, and rugs. An Elven Council was established to deal with the affairs of the Elves and the Kingdom of Shannon. The Council consisted of five elves that were interchanged every three years so that no one Elf became too powerful. The Elven Council was cloistered in chambers filled with scrolls, and tables. Elven apprentices helped them gather all of the information on the Kingdom.

  Gigantic windows let the sunshine in as it reflected off the room the Queen’s bedchambers. She was in charge of the Kingdom and the true heir and bloodline to succession of Elves. She had fallen in love with Allergeron and wed him while maintaining control of the elves. Elven maidens entered the chamber room and opened up the curtains which kept the morning chill out as King and Queen dressed for their day’s touring. They were to go down to Elvengrove to oversee the armies and the She-Elf Shydrie was to escort them. It was not a big fanfare. The Queen and King kept their journey simple. They would travel down along the soft winding rivers where trout jumped upstream. A small Elven Guard would guide them by huge reindeer that peppered the forests. Overseeing the armies was an important role they took seriously.

  Queen Ellandree opened the bay windows and told her maidens to leave. She sat in the window on soft cushions and looked west to the cascading white waters from the falls. It was a beautiful sight to behold as the clean crystal water made a slight mist that arched a small rainbow. From below the echoes of elven children filled the Kingdom. It was glorious day and they were all out playing after doing morning chores. King Allergeron quietly kissed her on the cheek and left the room to go about important business involving a trading dispute between the Elves and farmers which fed the Kingdom. It would be a short day, and issue would be dealt with quickly. Queen Ellandree had to try to have children but was unable to. She pondered that one day she would be able to provide an heir, but then her cousins would come to rule if she died. She rose as the small crown of light shimmered over her head; it was her lifeforce that gave her centuries of life. The Elves had been hidden from Humankind and she had decided to reveal the Westland Elves during the Reunion War.

  Birds whistled as the King and Queen made their way to the stables. They entered the stone building and met with the keeper. They also had stallions but decided to use the more powerful Elven Reindeer. The animals were twice the size of horse and had dangerous antlers to kill with. It was a double protection. The Elven Guard who assisted them mounted onto their beasts. The King and Queen had favorites which they paid closer attention to. Those animals got extra treatment but were also worked extra hard to make sure they were ready for an attack or battle.

  The caravan made weaved along the glistening streams as the forest oaks towered above, wildlife was abounding, and it pleased the elven people. Farmland etched the land like a patchwork quilt, serene and beautiful with wheat, fruits, and vegetables. Thatched roofs made of straw and simple wooden fence posts corralled the horses and cows while chickens and roosters clucked in the approaching afternoon. Elven planters continued to harvest the crops as the summer heat glistened with a slight mist that rose from valley.

  Elvengrove was bustling with elves preparing in their military fields as they corralled their horses and reindeers. Elven Warriors threw spears and practiced archery fine tuning their skills. The She-Elves practiced alongside their male counterparts and were proven to be just as affective. In the military ranks there were no lower ranks, everyone was treated as equals. They were one body with one mind and a ferocious competition exsisted to outdo each other to impress their commanders. The archery boards and logs were set up as they ran, rolled, flipped, and jumped while shooting arrows, hitting their mark at every turn. It was impressive show of combat. Even the commanders were proud. Then they fought in arena’s learning the craft of swordsmanship. They used every move against each other to get the upper advantage. No one was allowed to injure anyone else. The commanders made sure the elves fought with honor and for their Elven Homeland. Pride and honor was their motto, and nothing stood in the way of that. They were obedient to every utterance given, even if they disagreed. They paired up She-Elf against Man-Elf and contested one another until one was victorious. Awards followed with supporters in groups that chose their own leaders. Even though each were equivalent, they made their own system within the ranks.

  The caravan made a stop to the first military field as onlookers smiled and waved to the Queen and King. Small groups of villagers amassed to see them as they dismounted from their animals.

  Shydrie the She-Elf Warrior met them in battle fatigues, with an iron breastplate and helmet, her hair was long and red, flowing from the back. Green eyes sparkled like multifaced emeralds as high red brows
arched and red lips smiled. She strode over in her hunting boots.

  “Your Majesty,” she nodded to Queen Ellandree who strode up to her to give her a kiss on the cheek. King Allergeron followed and admired the fighting skills of the pairs as he watched.

  “Shydrie, we’ll keep this informal. How does the training go?”

  “A new set of Elven Warriors will be ready by Harvest,” she smiled as King Allergeron moved to the fighters and stood in their ranks. Some went to bow, but he shunned them off.

  “Good. Have you trained any new Elven Trackers? We need one that is like stealth to guard this Kingdom. I want to know all the comings and goings of the travelers. As a matter of fact, I want a whole infantry keeping watch.”

  “I can have them ready; we have one who is proven the best,” she waved her hand. “Call the Elven Guard over to you.”

  “Guards, come here,” she ordered as the Elven Warriors marched up to her.

  Suddenly a knife was at the Queen’s throat and they all reacted pointing their spears. A young red bearded elf with deep hazel eyes dressed all in green garb with brown hunting boots and a cloak was on her. His green cap stuck out with a goose feather as he stood there.

  “Dyrllyn, release her Majesty,” Shydrie ordered as the Elven Warriors watched in anger.

  “Excellent,” she nodded as Dyrllyn bowed.

  “My apologies my Queen,” he kept on one knee.

  “Rise,” she said. “He is a fine Elven Tracker.

  The Elven Guards went back to their posts murmuring in the air. They knew they had failed and would have to be retrained.

  “We have ten Elven Trackers. Of course, the others are just as good,” Shydrie the She-Elf smiled. “I will have to retrain some of your men, they seem to be getting a little soft.”

  Dyrllyn stood at attention as Shydrie strode around him. She gave him a quick hand signal and the Elf was gone in a flash.

  “You have done well. Set them to their posts and have them report anything. I do not want them seen by anyone. Send a few beyond Elvengrove. I want to test their ability.”

  “Is their any reason why?” the She-Elf asked with a worried look.

  “After the war with the Crimson Seekers at Shannon, I want us prepared for everything. Where is Spellmaker Llyendrie?” She examined the camp and woods.

  King Allergeron started on his way back to meet with his Queen and the She-Elf Warrior. A young Elf came running down the road out of breath and exhausted.

  “My Queen, my apologies,” he stepped before her. The Spellmaker Llyendrie was in his twenties with blonde hair, blue eyes, and a reddish-blonde beard. He wore green garb with a cloak and took it off. “I was studying the Elven Chronicles and found some possible information concerning the Fae. It’s fascinating material.”

  “Any new guarding spells?” She asked as Shydrie hid her annoyance at him. He was untrained in the arts of war, and she was untrained in the arts of magic. Both had a secret competition going on for the Queen’s affections.

  “Yes, we have found some new spells,” he whistled with an accent, excited. “They’re supposed to fight Dragons. We need some spells against Dragons.”

  “Dragons,” Shydrie could hardly hold back her laughter. “If memory serves me, they’re have been none since the Zandu War.”

  “You are correct. Llyendrie,” the Queen smiled as he bowed for her affection.

  “Have you told him?” King Allergeron motioned with a wave of his arm.

  “Told me what?” Spellmaker Llyendrie asked.

  “You’re going to be trained by the best,” the King said while he and the Queen walked away. Llyendrie’s smiled dropped and he started at Shydrie who had the biggest grin anyone had ever seen.

  “I guess it’s time for a lesson,” the She-Elf said to the Spellmaker. She grasped his arm and flipped him in midair as the onlookers laughed. “Come on,” she helped him up. “We’ll make a deal; I’ll train you to fight and you train me on some magic spells?

  “Sounds fair,” he said as he hobbled away with her.

  Two weeks passed, Shydrie and Llyendrie spared and fought, he brought his stamina back by chasing her through the forests. She made it like a game. He would have to hunt her down and grab the feather from her side. He learned the techniques of jumping, leaping, rolling, and fighting. At first, she taught him short knife fighting and tricks to get himself out of a bind. When he improved, she went from short sword to broadsword then to bow. He exceled at the other Elven Warrior’s laughed at him. But the Spellmaker kept them in place by conjuring up a green fireball in his hand as they withdrew in fear. Fire was the best deterrent and he stuck his tongue out at them in an immature way. Shydrie just rolled her eyes and said nothing. She was a Warrior and he was a Spellmaker, their studies were vastly different.

  They grew fond of each other but would not let it show. She beat him into the ground on some days, merciless and throwing her sword into the ground in frustration when he failed. He had a sarcastic attitude which annoyed her, and she drove him harder wanting to wipe it out of his personality. She took her training seriously, but he always had a joke or a pun. A few times, she told him was a failure. The worst student she had ever had, and he took it hard. After a few days, the jokes dropped, and his demeanor changed, and he became more serious about his training. He now went up against other young elves and actually had beaten a few at sparring. He was given no quarter on any front. They laughed at him, attempted to beat him up and made jokes about him. Always he conjured up the fireball and Shydrie just shook her head. One day a younger elf was making fun of him and his magic. He followed him around and bullied him half the day. Llyendrie attempted to ignore him, but his magic was not going to drive this young lad away. He had no fear because he knew the Spellmaker could not use on it him. The young lad put his hand on him, and he snapped, all of his anger and fury came out all at once as he took his knife out spared with the lad. The lad went to actually stab him in a heated moment and Spellmaker took him and flipped him over onto his back landing directly on him. His knife was at his throat as the lad gave up in defeat. From that day on no one made fun of him, they began treating him as one of their own and Shydrie began respecting him.

  One day, after he had defeated a few with his broadsword, she took him to hill where an oak stood. She had a piece of fruit and carved it up as the She-Elf bid him to sit and relax under the cool shade of the tree. It was hot and humid for some reason and mountain air seemed to have evaporated.

  “You still need improvement,” she told him as his eyes looked at the piece of fruit. She cut it up and gave him a piece. He ate it like a starving animal. “It’s your turn,” she said staring at him while he licked his fingers.

  “What do you want?”

  “Our deal, remember?”

  “Oh, magic,” he said as he wiped his hands clean. “Hold your hand out,” he said as she sighed. He whipped out a fireball and she shrank back for a moment. “Keep your hand out. As I have trusted you, now trust me,” he said. She held her hand out. He flipped the fireball onto her palm. At first, she wanted to throw it away, but found it did not burn her. She felt a force in her hand and just watched in awe. “Now squeeze it and hold it,” he made a vice grip feeling. She tightened her grip around and felt mesmerized by the trick. She could not believe she was holding a fireball. “Now concentrate and throw it at that oak. Concentrate hard like you want to knock it to the ground.” She stood up and threw the fireball like a spear and it roared into the tree exploding. A black smoldering scar was left on the tree. She stood there in shock as he got up and began walking away. “First rule,” he said simply. “Never fear magic.”

  As he walked away, she went over to the burn scar on the tree. It was hot to the touch and she smelled the burning wood. He strode down the hill as she wanted to call after him but she composed herself. She was a She-Elf Warrior and he was a Spellmaker, it would never work. She pondered it for a few more moments and let it go. She headed back down the knoll and
they went back to his training.

  Another week passed as she tested his limits and he began catching onto her the tricks she had taught him. He was agile and quick with all the weapons. They fought flipping and twisting arms, always their knives ending at the throat. He was becoming her equal. Usually, it took a year, but for some reason he was catching on to her faster than the average student. One morning he baited her, and she thought it was a joke until he made a quick move, grabbing her arm, twisting, and flipping her onto her stomach, his knife was at her throat. She felt a tinge of honor at being defeated. None of the new Elven recruits had come as close. Something deep stirred in her, a concern and she tried to push it away. Every so often, she take a peek and watched him, the way he fought, moved, and carried himself. Had he not chosen to be a Spellmaker, he would have made a great Warrior.

  Then they found themselves under the oak tree on top of the hill after a terrific sparring where he beat all of the recruits. They grew jealous at his relationship with her, but she was their commander. They had to respect her wishes and she was following the King and Queen’s orders to train him. She cut up a piece of apricot and handed him a slice as he ate.

  “You’re new training starts,” he said as she gave him a strange look. “I’m going to teach you a light spell. It will give you light in places of darkness; it will blind your opponent’s momentarily. It could save your life someday.” He then spoke a few sentences in ancient Elven tongue. She understood parts of it, and he explained it to her in great detail. She would have to hold out her palm and say the incantation and let the light come forth. She said it a few times and nothing occurred. “You need to say it with conviction,” he admonished her, and she was insulted. “In private repeat the words over and over until they flow from your tongue, believe in your heart that the light will come, and the spell will work.” Once again, he rose without saying a word and went down to the grassy glen.