2 Shadowstone

Tarmiel opened up his eyes and he was lying on a bed with bandages around his arms and shoulders. His left arm was stiff as he tried to sit up and take a good look at his surrounding. He was back at his own house, tree house to be exact.

"We thought it better to get you back, commander." He heard a voice coming from the outside. He knows it belongs to Minuel Moonbane, one of the archers who went with him when they went out in pursuit of the bandits. "Eltham gave his report to the Council of Elders on behalf of the Five Leaves and our attempt to pursue the bandits." Minuel informed the commander.

"How long was I out? How about the boy?" Tarmiel asked. As commander, it was his responsibility to give report to the elders in a crucial time like this. He volunteered the Five Leaves, his elite group led by himself to pursue the bandits. They are admired and respected among the Sun Elves, but this event could damage their reputation.

"We arrived last night. It was this morning that Eltham gave his report. It is past midday at the moment. We found out that the child was named Vandrak and the elders are deliberating right now what to do with him", Minuel informed the commander of the current situation.

"I need to present myself to the elders", Tarmiel said as he stood up. "I also think the same", Minuel agreed. "Do you need my assistance?" he asked.

Tarmiel tried to move his stiff shoulder and wished he didn't. Wincing through the pain, he looked at Minuel and said, "I think I can manage on my own. But I'll appreciate your company."

"Very well", Minuel answered, and they both walked toward the Tree Hall.

As they entered the Tree Hall, a hollowed great tree that serves as a meeting place of the elders, all eyes turned to them. The Three Elders were seated in a straight line while Vandrak, the boy they rescued were standing in front of them. Vandrak clutching was clutching on to Nivadir beside him. It seemed that the child became comfortable with Nivadir throughout the time they were together.

"Commander Leafrunner, it's good that you could join us. We are about to decide what to do with the lad", informed Zerena, one of the elders. She was wearing a green dress. Although her visage looks young and could be mistaken for a young virgin for a human, it was said that she was more than two centuries old. It was her magic alone that gives her the ability to maintain her young looks.

Tarmiel proceed before the elders and bowed. "I apologize for not showing myself sooner. I was... "

"No need to explain, Tarmiel", Lord Marku interrupted, one of the Three Elders. "We heard the full report from Eltham. You are excused." Tarmiel stood up and looked at the elders, despite what they said, it still felt as though he should have been the one to give the report to them. "Thank you for your understanding, Lord Marku", Tarmiel responded.

"Now to the matter at hand, it seems we have decided. Zerena thinks that Vandrak here could stay with us until he is old enough to find his own path. " Lord Marku informed Tarmiel and the other elves in their presence. "But myself and Rinagor thinks we should not entangle ourselves with this child in anyway. He is wearing a necklace and we could sense a great shadow inside of it."

Tarmiel looked at Vandrak and now he noticed a necklace hanging from his neck. There is a stone pendant as big as a thumb in the necklace. Now that it was mentioned, he felt something sinister, something dark within the pendant.

"But he is just a child!" Lady Zerena exclaimed. "If it is the necklace you are afraid of, then let's get rid of the necklace. But the child is innocent and we elves treasure our children"

"Our children, elf children", Lord Marku corrected. "We do not associate with other races, it will only bring us trouble. Besides, we Sun Elves honor the sun and get our magic from the Sun. We cannot harbor anything that belongs to the shadow. It is against the nature of light."

"So you suggest to leave the child to fend for himself when the closest human civilization is miles away?" Lady Zerena rebutted. "Do you think a map and a few ration would suffice for the child to survive out there?"

"Our decision is final, Zerena. By number of vote we outweigh yours." Riganor reminded. The elders were silent for a moment.

"Elders, may I dare to propose something?" Tarmiel asked.

"Go ahead, commander" Lady Zerena answered.

Tarmiel understand both side of the argument between the elders, and he himself cannot choose what to do. Yet he cannot bear to leave the boy to his own fate so he proposed an idea, "If we leave the child on its own, and someone else can take that necklace from him, and we dont know what magic or power it has. But if we allow the boy to stay with us, and keep the necklace in our safekeeping until we understand what magic lies inside of it, then we do not only save the boy, but we have kept an unknown power in check, as guardians of the light."

He do not know if he could convince the two elders of his opinion, given that Zerena already proposed this idea somehow.

"I think Tarmiel have a voice in this matter", Lady Zerena said looking at the two elders. "It was him who risked his life to save the life of this child. What do you say? Rinagor, Marku?"

Riganor looked at Marku, and then to Tarmiel. "If you put it that way, then our decision is a tie", he conceded. "Tarmiel, would you take responsibility of the child?"

Tarmiel was surprised as to what he was hearing. He didn't expect a quick turn around of the decision, but he wasn't expecting that the responsibility would fall on his shoulders. Still, it seems it is the only way to save this child and to refuse is to leave the child on its own. He didn't like that the elder made it his responsibility after all. "I guess I'll have to." Tarmiel accepted.

"In that case, I assign you to take care of the child, and the Five Leaves to take custody of the necklace. Learn its power, or whatever magic it posses." Lady Zerena charged Tarmiel.

Tarmiel bowed to the elders, "We will do what we can", he said. He stood up and looked at Vandrak. The child's eyes were innocent and scared, but Tarmiel sensed something dark in the necklace.