walk out of the tunnel, into a large open cavern filled with open pipes spilling everything from potable water to raw sewage. Smaller caves are dug into the walls from the floor to the ceiling, giving the place an unstable look. People, roughly the same size as Julius, walk back and forth across pipes, rails, planks and ledges with daunting ease. They wear the same cloak and hood combination as my rescuer, though the shades vary from person to person. If these are the elves of old, then they have fallen far, perhaps even further than I have.
Julius leads the way into the warren of the elves, and whispers, "watch your step. You do not want to fall." I look down, and silently agree. A fall would be dangerous because of the distance, and rather cluttered, and uneven floor, but it is the dark, slithering shapes, moving about, half-hidden, that worry me most. I do not fear snakes, but I cannot detect any snakes on the floor below. "They are the Lampree," Julius says. "They are abominations of the ancient world. They enjoy elf flesh, but they are not so picky as to ignore you."
The cavern is lit by a source far overhead. It reminds me of sunlight, but feels brighter, more concentrated. Some of the small caverns exude light of their own, and I see an occasional candle, or torch, carried about by some of the residents, but the light from above is what I saw as we crawled through the tunnel.
“Hello, Julius. I see you brought us some dinner,” says a slightly taller elf who greets us at the opening.
“You wouldn’t like the taste of him, Scipio. He doesn’t eat enough, and doesn’t eat well either, by the smell of him,” says Julius.
Scipio steps close to me; it is all I can do not to take a step back. He smells of garbage, rancid meat, and juniper berries; it is a brutal assault on my senses. He breathes in deeply, through his crooked nose, and says, “Yeah, there is definitely something dirty about this one.” He punches me in the stomach and I double over. Scipio laughs, and pats me on the cheek. “He’ll fit right in here.”
“He won’t be staying long,” Julius says.
“What about you?” Scipio’s face is a confusion of emotions that I find hard to read.
“I don’t know yet.” Julius takes me by the elbow, and guides me past the other elf.
He leads me across the narrow walkways of the elf village, pausing from time to time to speak with another curious elf, before continuing onward. We take a turn, and I notice the growing crowd of scruffy, little people following us. I keep my eyes forward, and stay close to my guide, keenly aware that I am at their mercy, should they decide to turn against me.
We stop in front of a small wooden door; even Julius would have to stoop to get inside. "Do not speak, no matter what," he whispers to me, his voice so quiet I am barely sure I hear it.
He raps his knuckles hard against the door and the assembled crowd of elves behind us murmurs. I try to pick out what they are saying, but their voices are too low. We wait for a minute, then two, before the doorknob turns. The noise carries into the cavern as the crowd goes silent. Everyone, including myself, is holding their breath. The door opens and a pale, yellow light spills into the cavern, making the bright light from above feel cold in comparison. "Oh, my God," I whisper as the door comes to a halt, and I am greeted by a sight strangely familiar to my eyes.
A blonde elf woman, unfettered by filth and melancholy, stands in the doorway. She is a ray of sunlight molded into a beautiful female form. The brilliance that emanates from her is a physical thing, and it drops me to my knees. When she speaks it is like the chiming of sacred bells.
"Julius," she says, "who have you brought before me? He is too tall to be an elf, and I am sure that even you understood my request."
"He is special, Gloriana. If you will but look at him, closely," Julius says. I fear, and crave, her gaze until the moment it falls upon me.
For the
Julius leads the way into the warren of the elves, and whispers, "watch your step. You do not want to fall." I look down, and silently agree. A fall would be dangerous because of the distance, and rather cluttered, and uneven floor, but it is the dark, slithering shapes, moving about, half-hidden, that worry me most. I do not fear snakes, but I cannot detect any snakes on the floor below. "They are the Lampree," Julius says. "They are abominations of the ancient world. They enjoy elf flesh, but they are not so picky as to ignore you."
The cavern is lit by a source far overhead. It reminds me of sunlight, but feels brighter, more concentrated. Some of the small caverns exude light of their own, and I see an occasional candle, or torch, carried about by some of the residents, but the light from above is what I saw as we crawled through the tunnel.
“Hello, Julius. I see you brought us some dinner,” says a slightly taller elf who greets us at the opening.
“You wouldn’t like the taste of him, Scipio. He doesn’t eat enough, and doesn’t eat well either, by the smell of him,” says Julius.
Scipio steps close to me; it is all I can do not to take a step back. He smells of garbage, rancid meat, and juniper berries; it is a brutal assault on my senses. He breathes in deeply, through his crooked nose, and says, “Yeah, there is definitely something dirty about this one.” He punches me in the stomach and I double over. Scipio laughs, and pats me on the cheek. “He’ll fit right in here.”
“He won’t be staying long,” Julius says.
“What about you?” Scipio’s face is a confusion of emotions that I find hard to read.
“I don’t know yet.” Julius takes me by the elbow, and guides me past the other elf.
He leads me across the narrow walkways of the elf village, pausing from time to time to speak with another curious elf, before continuing onward. We take a turn, and I notice the growing crowd of scruffy, little people following us. I keep my eyes forward, and stay close to my guide, keenly aware that I am at their mercy, should they decide to turn against me.
We stop in front of a small wooden door; even Julius would have to stoop to get inside. "Do not speak, no matter what," he whispers to me, his voice so quiet I am barely sure I hear it.
He raps his knuckles hard against the door and the assembled crowd of elves behind us murmurs. I try to pick out what they are saying, but their voices are too low. We wait for a minute, then two, before the doorknob turns. The noise carries into the cavern as the crowd goes silent. Everyone, including myself, is holding their breath. The door opens and a pale, yellow light spills into the cavern, making the bright light from above feel cold in comparison. "Oh, my God," I whisper as the door comes to a halt, and I am greeted by a sight strangely familiar to my eyes.
A blonde elf woman, unfettered by filth and melancholy, stands in the doorway. She is a ray of sunlight molded into a beautiful female form. The brilliance that emanates from her is a physical thing, and it drops me to my knees. When she speaks it is like the chiming of sacred bells.
"Julius," she says, "who have you brought before me? He is too tall to be an elf, and I am sure that even you understood my request."
"He is special, Gloriana. If you will but look at him, closely," Julius says. I fear, and crave, her gaze until the moment it falls upon me.
For the
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