Chapter 19: Tracking

“Well, how far is he?” Irae’Lin said in an irritated tone while she looked at her brother, who had taken a moment to meditate to raise his concentration. He was sitting against the rock wall, his legs folded, his hands resting on his knees, trying to keep a steady breath.

‘I would go better if you kept your voice down so that I am not distracted.” Breghen replied with a rather calm voice. He could hear his sister huff in displeasure. He knew his sister would have loved it to give a reply back, if this hadn’t been so important.

Breghen concentrated again, using the magic in his blood to track what he was looking for. First he concentrated on the vibrating sound of his own blood. Once he was used to it, he tried to feel a similar vibe. It only took a few seconds to find another feeling that was almost like his own. Almost, for it was still different. While his own blood felt like a lower tone, this one was even heavier, deeper. He smiled when he could pinpoint the location of his ‘beloved’ father. 

On the moment when he wanted to break the connection, he suddenly felt something else. Another feeling that felt similar, one that sounded both like his own and his father, but then in a higher variation. It confused the young male when the feeling entered his mind, twisting itself around his senses. He could not grasp what it was, but he knew it was not nearby. The feeling comes from a different direction, easily half a day of travel away from where he could his prey. It peaked his interest. He was curious what this vibe was, but he couldn’t afford a detour. His mission was too important. And he had to succeed.

When Breghen opened his eyes, he saw the discontent in his sister's eyes, her fingers scraping over the stone she was leaning on.

“And??” She barked when she leaned back on her feet.

“He seems to have stopped. I can only guess that he is at his destination. He could not have more than a few hours distance on us.” 

“Good!” Irae’Lin grinned, letting her fingers caress the dagger that hung at her hips before she jumped up.

“Come on, you sorry lot! Time to move!”

Like hit by a wip, the Drow soldiers jumped up, ready to go back on their quest. A few seconds later, they were leaving the entrance of the cave they had been hiding in for the past hours, until the sun had faded. Drow eyes were not used to sunlight, making them very sensitive to it. Even their magical enchanted clothing and weapons were vulnerable to the light of the Rising Ball of Fire. They could not risk that the magic would fade by walking carelessly in the sunlight. So when the sun had gone up, they had taken refuge in a cave.

The hunting group moved through the forest like a pack, in utter silence and perfect unison.. They used the shadows for their cover and were able to pass a bush without making it rustle. It was Breghen who first saw the glows of light and he raised his balled fist to make his group stop. Everyone lowered themselves towards the ground, waiting for his command.

“He is up ahead.” Breghen signaled to his sister in the Drow sign language, the perfect method to talk and not make a sound. He saw his sister grin, getting hold of her dagger. That spark of anticipation was flickering in her eyes again. 

“Go ahead and find the traitor.” She signed back to him. “We will go around and surround them.”

Breghen nodded and moved further to take a better look at the place where his prey was hiding. When moving through the foliage, he noticed a couple of guards, a small distance away from where the light was. The young Drow gave a slight snarl when he noticed they were Elves. Surface faeries. Their so called kin that had betrayed them and drove them underground so many generations ago. It was their fault that they had to live in such a dangerous and lethal place. Everything was their fault!

The boy moved further, able to surpass the guards with ease. When he went further, he noticed more fires and voices that were entering his ears. When he peeked over the bushline, he noticed he was at the edge of what looked like a small village. But compared to the exterior of Dro’Naqar or the massive constructions and decorations from Che’El’Dheorden, this village was primitive to its core. Even the smallest buildings in Dro’Naqar were bigger then these things that had to surpass as a House. Their huts were built at the side of the trees, connected by bridges that were decorated with flowers, glowing moss and vines. The flower seemed to attract several insects, like butterflies and glowbugs that gave a natural feeling. In the center, there was a large silver scale that was hung up at the trees, hanging in the middle holding a large flame that gave off a sweet scent. A scent that the young boy had never smelled before and it was stinging in his nose. He was used to the scent of fungi, mushrooms and sulfur. Not this sickly sweet scent. 

The village was rather at peace and seemed to only start it’s day. Some females were chatting, making clothing or crushing herbs, while their children were running over the bridges, without taking the danger in mind. They were quickly scolded by their mother for running, but a few seconds later, they were already ignoring their mother's advice and playing again in their chase. Some young males were preparing to train, picking up their bows and arrows, walking over to what looked like a shooting stand.

When he tried to locate where his father could be, his eyes fell on a hut with dark leather that was located a bit away from the main huts. Two guards were stationed on the ground and when he concentrated he could feel that timbre of his father’s blood coming from within the hut.

Breghen moved around the village and was able to climb up in the trees, using the shadows as cover. The closer he came, the more he was certain that his father was in that hut. But when he wanted to climb on the bridge that was placed around the entrance, ready to peak inside, he saw a male elf climbing up, going in the same direction, holding a spear. His face looked serious, if not even a bit angry and from his attire alone, Breghen knew that he was a special person. A necklace with a symbol was hanging around his neck and he wore more decoration than the rest of the Tribe Members. It was like an animal that tried to stand out against the crowd. 

Curious what had brought, what seemed to be the leader of this place, to the hut he had been spying on, the young Drow male hid himself in the shadows under the bridge, waiting for the male elf to pass him and enter the hut. 

When he was able to climb on the bridge and peek inside, he saw the male Elf, talking furiously towards a female that was standing before another person. Breghen grinned when he saw his father bound at a post, seeing his desperate expression. From the sound of the conversation, it looked like they had a fiery conversation. He wasn’t able to fully understand what they were saying, but he could recognize some words that looked similar to his own language, Undercommon. 

What he was able to understand was that the female seemed to be in love with his father.

Breghen looked again at the female, noticing her dark ash grey skin and her silver eyes. He could say she was beautiful, if she had not been a surface faery. From the decoration where she wore and also the tone she spoke, he figured that also she had to be a special person for this Tribe. Her stance was defensive. She had placed herself between the Tribe’s leader and their Drow prisoner. No surface creature would defend a Drow, unless there was a connection. Counting one and one, Breghen knew that this foul woman had to be the one their traitor was in love with. She was the reason why he had gone to the surface, why he had betrayed his kin and that he had suffered for so long! 

Breghen already grabbed his scimitar, ready to strike, take his revenge until he suddenly heard something else. His mind had to take a few moments to translate the words, but what he could figure out was that they spoke about a child that seemed not to be fathered by the Elven male, who looked like to be the mate of the woman inside. Breghen frowned while he tried to fill in the gaps.

Did his father have a child with this foul surface elf?!

Anger rose up inside his chest when he progressed that information. How could that treacherous male, who never showed any emotion towards him when he was beaten, whipped in front of him until his skin was bleeding, have a child here on the surface? How could he love something that wasn’t even his own kin???

And then a scream filled the air.

“DROW!!”

Breghen grinned.He was no longer gonna wait. It was time to do what he came from. He muttered some words and suddenly the inside of the hut was enveloped in pure darkness.

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