War of the Words/Chapter 2

As the last of the Knights disembarked, Delnar subconsciously let his mind drift back to his earlier conversation with Cerin. Was Tralin really coming to the front? Delnar could not make up his mind if this boded good or ill for his own troops. If the enemy was worthy of Tralin's time and skill, there could be little doubt Delnar's knights would be hard pressed to deal with them alone. Still, Tralin was an asset and the Frogzard Knights would be too. Tralin, what a mystery the Drakel was. His family had been water casters for generations or so it was rumored, yet Tralin sided with no element, instead working to bring opposing elements together in different ways. Cerin said that Drakel lore forbade elemental affinity. If that was true then Tralin's actions would seem more like the Drakel norm.

Would the Drakel approve of Tralin's service to King Draynor however? They surely must know about it.

"Cerin," Delnar said inquisitively, "what do your ears at the palace say about Tralin's links to his own people?"

"Nothing." Cerin said simply. "They know something I am sure by the way the hedge around the issue, but even my uncle is tight-lipped on the matter. What I can say is that whatever the Drakel might have in mind and however Tralin might be involved, Draynor and my uncle trust him with their lives. So do the temple priests. What it was that Tralin revealed and how he proved it is a matter of great speculation in the capitol, but no one knows but Tralin and the court and neither are speaking about it."

"Hmm." Delnar said uneasily. "What about you? Do you trust Tralin and the Drakel?"

"I cannot speak to the Drakel. I cannot even be certain that the Drakel as a group have anything to do with the issue. Tralin however I trust. I have reason to."

"Oh?" Delnar asked, his curiosity piqued.

"Yes lord. Tralin saved my life."

"Did he?"

"I was about ten at the time and I was playing in the abandoned stone mines when I woke an entire family of Stone Golems. Tralin heard my cry for help and interspersed himself between the golems and me. He could have been killed but he dealt with it calmly. I believe he talked them down somehow. He told me later he sold them a secret about water magic, which apparently was valuable to them."

"They do not care for water much as I recall."

"No. Not in general."

"Don't Stone Golems serve the Earth Lord?"

"That’s what the temple teaches, sir."

"Interesting. So he went against his family even more by helping you."

"I suppose that’s true, sir. The men are disembarked, sir, it's time to make camp."

"Very well, Cerin, give the order." Tralin was a curious fellow. Could he really seek to be that general a mage? Did his religious beliefs recognize the whole spectrum of deities? Like those monks who, rather than becoming priests and serving one part of the temple or the other, worked as intermediaries among them? What did the Drakel think of this, particularly Tralin's relations? It was almost impossible to speculate, but it set Delnar thinking.