Chapter 30: The Second Great Elven Strife
From the darkness of the underworld came the dark elves of Tettungba and they made war on the surface elves and Hir'vassäl Eduth once again wrung to the sound of elven strife, for Tettungba had grown strong again and in the darkness of the underworld had rebuilt her empire and great cities had emerged that made war on the servants of Xagraxsus. But in the poisoned blackness of the heart of Tettungba could she still feel her defeat to Orphus.
So she had those that would follow her muster in great numbers and they poured from dark holes in the ground and came against the elves of Hir'vassäl Eduth and caught them unawares and those that fought were easily defeated and the elves ran deep into the forest to escape the dark army and panic and confusion took hold of them and their blood was spilt.
And despair fell upon the elves and they were divided and easily defeated and their fair forest was filled with foul spiders and the dark elves who were their mortal enemies and darkness consumed the light and the forest grew foul. So it was that a great queen emerged, Glornias, who spoke to those that would listen and she gave them hope, where before they had none, and a small army who followed her struck against their enemy, who for the first time were defeated. And Glornias retreated and hid amongst the trees of Hir'vassäl Eduth and struck again and again and always with surprise, for her armies would melt away into the forest and hide themselves, so that the greater forces of Tettungba could not find her or defeat her.
Soon did the armies of Glornias swell into thousands and no longer could they hide and the armies of Tettungba came against them and Glornias was defeated. But she feared not and again she reformed her armies and yet more came to her and again the dark army defeated her and again she retreated and regrouped. And on the third occasion did she now strike against her foe and a great battle was fought, but for a third time Glornias was defeated and again did she retreat.
And thus was Hir'vassäl Eduth consumed by the dark will of Tettungba and the elves looked defeated. But Glornias again faced her foe and for a fourth time was defeated. And deep in the forest, where she mustered her armies again, she called to Tannun Maruth, who was the offspring of Shylar, their creator, to help them, for it seemed to them that he had forsaken the elves of Arrasia. And indeed so it was, for Tannun Maruth had long since withdrawn into Henipur and was filled with the sorrow of Shylar's murder and there he had remained and cared not for Arrasia or the affairs of the Aslah.
Yet it was that a vision came to him of an elf of great beauty, whose hair did flow like a river in the wind and who was proud and strong. And yet there was a sorrow in her and in his vision was she stood in a sea of writhing bodies, who were the Veshwe of Arrasia, and they grabbed at her feet and ankles and slowly she did sink into them and was consumed by them, and the sorrow in her eyes did stare out from the depths of the suffering that immersed her. And so his heart was awoken and he saw again the beauty of Henipur, which had been tended by the Veshwe, who had been guided by Fyfreyn, the most powerful amongst them and who they greatly loved.
And Tannun Maruth did have the finest suit of chain mail forged by the smithies of Henipur and Fyfreyn put great power upon it. And Tannun Maruth did forge also a magnificent sword that he filled with his power and he did go to Arrasia and to Glornias and he gave to her his great gifts and through him was sent a message into the hearts of the elves of Hir'vassäl Eduth and they felt a great hope, for the son of Shylar had awoken from his sorrow and walked amongst them. And the elves mustered in great numbers and were hidden from the eyes of Tettungba and her spies through the power of Tannun Maruth and a great army came together.
And so it was that under the canopy of the greatest forest of Arrasia that Tannun Maruth and Glornias did come together and theirs was the first coupling of an Aslah with the mortal races and Glornias felt his strength flow within her and loved him. Yet it could not be that he could stay with her and there was a sadness in her heart when he left, for his affairs were with Tettungba in Murster. Thus he returned to Henipur and sent Fyfreyn to Arrasia, so she might use her great knowledge to guide Glornias.
On Arrasia was a great army of elves mustered and in their hearts was hope and at their helm was Glornias, clad in the Armor of Henipur, and she stood before them and roused them with her strength and for a fifth time did Glornias march against the dark foes that had invaded the realms of her people and the armies of Tettungba felt a fear touch them when they caught sight of this great army and the mighty queen that led them and a fierce battle was fought and the spiders fell from the trees upon their foes and struck them down with their poison. And the poisoned tips of the dark elves' bolts did also strike against their enemy. But Glornias would not be defeated again and she drove against the dense ranks of the massed armies that opposed her and her army followed her and they fell upon their enemy and much blood was shed and many there died on both sides.
Also did Fyfreyn stand against the might of Tettungba and sting her with her powerful magic, until she was forced to retreat from the battlefield, back into the darkness of the underworld and from there to Murster. And the hearts of her army sank as they watched her retreat and the archers of Glornias filled the sky with their arrows and brought death upon them. So they ran and scattered and followed Tettungba back into the darkness and returned to their homes.
So Glornias defeated the dark minions of Tettungba and light did return to Hir'vassäl Eduth, though some evil remained in the darkest places and could not be defeated and those that dwelt in the forest went to those places no more. And Glornias chased her enemy and smote them with her sword and many fell as they fled. But into the darkness of the world below Glornias would not go and when the enemy were fled the elves began to repair and rebuild their homes and to Glornias was born Ney Allond, fair daughter of Tannun Maruth, and the blood that flowed in her was that of the Aslah and she for a time did stay on Arrasia, until her mother did die and she travelled to Henipur.
And in Murster did Tannun Maruth make his stand with Tettungba when she returned from Arrasia, defeated. And the whole of Murster was filled with her stench and foul offspring and the evil that was in that place was like nothing before seen by Tannun Maruth. Yet he knew his path and he came to Tettungba and they fought and she bit him and filled him with her poison, but he would not succumb to it and he used his great bow and filled her foul form with his arrows, which caused her great pain, until her body seemed filled with his arrows and she screamed and hissed and did run and hide from him, for she could bear him no longer, and Tannun Maruth was victorious and he returned to Henipur, though he knew that Tettungba would rise again. And he did release Fyfreyn from his service, for she was now mighty powerful indeed and her courage had been great and her deeds deserving and she joined him amongst the ranks of the Aslah.
