Arctavia, Chapter IV: The Oak
They travelled far. The landscape of streams and forest had been replaced by a vast desert, with mountains in between. The desert was known as the 'Irakko Sinwato', a name in an an ancient Elven tougue meaning 'The Emptiness', that even Arctavia himself could not understand. The Emptiness was a ten mile patch of sand, dunes, and scorpions.
Arctavia was riding his white horse, Windwobble, named for his speed but also his tendancy to run until he falls, by Arctavia. But today, Windwobble was going at a normal pace, a trot, since there was only one horse.
The horse which followed Arctavia from the castle. Many thought how odd it was he should name his horse after his clumsiness rather than his sense of tracking, but Arctavia always wanted the most fun with pet names.
"Well, while I have this, I might as well put it on." said Arctavia to himself, holding the necklace. The jade looked even more bright as it shined in the sun, instead of under the trees at night.
So he strung the necklace around his neck, but it did not last long. The necklace exploded not three seconds after he put it on. He was flung off his unharmed horse, shirt ripped, and chest bloody.
The Dwarves looked at him curiously, but that was all. They were used to injuries, but not to surprises like Arctavia.
Though this was too much. He tore the necklace off, started swearing, which made the Dwarves stop, looking even more curious, though by this time they figured out it was the necklace.
They kept moving, but got him bandaged up first. Later Kanseir and Arctavia were talking about it, just as they were reaching the Owlfire Boundary, an extremely dense forest, which made The Emptiness even more strange.
"...no, no, I'm not calling you a coward, I'm just asking why you shrieked." Kanseir said defensively.
"Heh, do you want to put on the necklace?" argued Arctavia, thrusting the necklace in his face.
Kanseir, knowing arguing further was pointless, said, "No.. no." Then noticing the grass under their feet added, "Welcome to the Owlfire!" to Arctavia, and all of his Captains, the only ones who came on this mission.
They turned slightly right onto a path, and walked straight, silent, for about ten minutes when they saw a hollow oak tree, close to four hundred meters in hight.
There was the glow of lanterns in windows on the tree, balconies, and a great arc door patterned with leaf and vine prints.
They ran up, and threw all their strength at the door. The plan was to storm in and plunder all they could in their search for a wizard, the first wizard they saw.
No budge. They stared at the door, wondering how to open it. There was no need; a six foot tall, seven feet with the red hat included, elder human with a staff stood in the newly fast opened doors. Arctavia was the first out of shock, and ran at him. The second he entered, the Wizard hit his staff on the ground three times, and the door closed before the Dwarves could barge in, though you could hear their efforts from inside.
Now that Arctavia was not shocked, or charging, he looked up at the face. It startled him, really. "Good evening, Arctavia." said Intibus, the one who blew off his hand, but in a different occasion, not the tower, when he was captured had the job of crafting him a new one, identical, and could move the same, but made out of wood.
"Uh.. Hey, Intibb." Arctavia used his nickname for the Wizard.
"Welcome to the Eastern Council of Owlfire."
