As the mists parted before the towering stone gates, the elves stood silently, knowing that each step forward demanded a sacrifice none were ready to make. The leader of the company was Torlandir; he stepped through the muddy terrain and almost lost his boots. He continued, with Lentir, his second-in-command, following closely behind. A couple of steps back: a she-elf Galdaria and Aeltan neared them.

Each elf of the company had their strengths and weaknesses: Torlandir had amazing eyesight and could see things from far away; his eyesight surpassed even that of the High Elves of Narlendon. Lentir was unyielding; Galdaria was quick with her bow; and Aeltan could protect the company by using his shield when enemies came to melee them.

Now Torlandir climbed on top of a rock and saw ahead of the rest of the company; he saw a beautiful shine coming from behind the gates. The gates were closed off and made from stone. The company waited for their leader to say something or do something.

At last, Torlandir had thought long enough: he told the company they must break down the wall. And so, they tried; Lentir waved his elven blade at the rocky gate, Galdaria loosened an arrow, and Aeltan rammed the front with his shield. But try as they might, they could not break it down. Torlandir sighed and from his satchel, he grabbed an object: it was made from pure glass, a vial, and it shone a broad light among them onto the ground and the trees. He spoke a few words while whispering to the glass near his mouth. As he whispered the words, a sharp, cold pain flared behind his left eye. He winced but didn’t falter. When he finished, his left eye was no longer the sharp, piercing gaze of an elf; it had dulled to the grey, glassy look of a human eye. Then he threw the vial against the centre of the stone gate. Seconds later the company heard a crumbling noise.

They all stepped back, except for Torlandir. The gates crumbled where they stood. Light came from the top to the bottom of the gate. Filling the small bank where they had stood for nigh two days.

‘Finally,’ said Galdaria.

‘Indeed,’ said Torlandir. ‘Let us go forth, towards the light. Follow me.’

‘Yes, lord Torlandir,’ replied Lentir and Aeltan.

They quickly walked into the gate and beyond it was a slope downwards. They followed the slope. There before them, a great empty crater lay; Aeltan barely could stop himself not falling into it. They saw a ridge along the crater. They followed it. At the end of the ridge, they reached a plateau, where they took a moment of respite.

Torlandir sought, while the rest still sat down, a high place; to look about the high place that they reached. The mist from before the towering stone gates now went down the slope as well. It seemed to roll into the crater where it disappeared.

He looked at the trees and hills that lay about the valley. However, where exactly the bright light came from was unclear. It almost felt as if it were coming from the ground, or the very tree he sat upon. He looked ahead and saw a small village, but in front of the village, another gate seemed to stand. One more tough-looking than the one they just had beaten.

He climbed down and went to the site where they had rested. There he found that Lentir walked towards him.

‘Lord Torlandir,’ Lentir said. ‘Where about should we tread next?’

‘I have seen a village, due north. There we shall go next. Inform the others.’

‘Yes, my lord.’

As soon as the company had packed their inventory, they walked northward. Towards the village. Not a hair on one of their heads was thinking this could go wrong; they instead chose to fully believe in their leader. He, after all, had been to many a battle: he fought in the 500-year war, long ago.          

Torlandir knelt and signed to Galdaria to scout the area for possible threats. She beckoned that there were none.