The Jewel Of The Elves: Fantasy Novel

By Alfred Bekker

The Jewel Of The Elves: Fantasy Novel

 

 

The first volume of the saga of Daron and Sarwen

 

 

Fantasy novel by the author of "Gorian" and "The Realm of the Elves"
The half-elves Daron and Sarwen live at the court of their grandfather, the Elven King Keandir on the continent of Interland, which is also populated by human races, halflings, smalllings, bluelings, trorks, lizardmen and enormous giant bats Daron and Sarwen tame the giant bat Rarax. On their flight, however, they lose control and Rarax drops them over the Wildlands, where they meet the Trorks. They are able to escape to the realm of the Lesserlings, which is protected from the Trorks by the magical spell of a jewel. But a giant bat stole the jewel and the magical aura of protection becomes weaker and weaker. Daron and Sarwen immediately embark on a perilous search for Rarax and the jewel ...
The continuation of the Elven trilogy by Alfred Bekker!

 

Overview Elven Children Cycle

The jewel of the elves

The sword of the elves

The magic of the elves

The flame spears of the elves

In the centaur forest of the elves

The spirits of the elves

The ice demons of the elves

• Language: English
• Publisher: Alfred Bekker
• Release date: Jan 29, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215928097

Alfred Bekker

Alfred Bekker wurde am 27.9.1964 in Borghorst (heute Steinfurt) geboren und wuchs in den münsterländischen Gemeinden Ladbergen und Lengerich auf. 1984 machte er Abitur, leistete danach Zivildienst auf der Pflegestation eines Altenheims und studierte an der Universität Osnabrück für das Lehramt an Grund- und Hauptschulen. Insgesamt 13 Jahre war er danach im Schuldienst tätig, bevor er sich ausschließlich der Schriftstellerei widmete. Schon als Student veröffentlichte Bekker zahlreiche Romane und Kurzgeschichten. Er war Mitautor zugkräftiger Romanserien wie Kommissar X, Jerry Cotton, Rhen Dhark, Bad Earth und Sternenfaust und schrieb eine Reihe von Kriminalromanen. Angeregt durch seine Tätigkeit als Lehrer wandte er sich schließlich auch dem Kinder- und Jugendbuch zu, wo er Buchserien wie 'Tatort Mittelalter', 'Da Vincis Fälle', 'Elbenkinder' und 'Die wilden Orks' entwickelte. Seine Fantasy-Romane um 'Das Reich der Elben', die 'DrachenErde-Saga' und die 'Gorian'-Trilogie machten ihn einem großen Publikum bekannt. Darüber hinaus schreibt er weiterhin Krimis und gemeinsam mit seiner Frau unter dem Pseudonym Conny Walden historische Romane. Einige Gruselromane für Teenager verfasste er unter dem Namen John Devlin. Für Krimis verwendete er auch das Pseudonym Neal Chadwick. Seine Romane erschienen u.a. bei Blanvalet, BVK, Goldmann, Lyx, Schneiderbuch, Arena, dtv, Ueberreuter und Bastei Lübbe und wurden in zahlreiche Sprachen übersetzt.

Book preview

Chapter 1

A monster is tamed

Look out, Daron!

Sarwen saw the huge bat flying toward her brother. When it spread its leathery wings, it was as wide as a house. Sharp teeth flashed in the mouth of the otherwise completely dark creature. Its arms were fused to its wings, while its hind legs ended in powerful clawed feet.

The bat emitted a scream so piercing that at first Daron thought he was going deaf. Elves had very sensitive hearing, and Daron was no exception: the piercing, shrill cry of the bat caused a hellish pain in his ears.

Then the winged monster emitted a hissing, threatening sound.

Daron threw himself to the ground, rolling on his axis so that the claws on the bat's hind legs missed him.

An angry sound and another shrill scream were heard - but this time it no longer hurt Daron's pointed ears, which peeked out from under his fine, dark hair. The elf boy had used his magical powers to muffle the shrill scream.

The bat flew away, and Daron picked himself up again.

The dirt through which he had rolled did not stick to his doublet interwoven with Elvish silk.

Daron stood on both legs again. He briefly grasped the handle of the dagger he wore on his belt with his right hand. 

His twin sister was several steps away from him. The wind ran through her long hair, which fell to her shoulders. On her, too, the pointed ears kept poking through the fine elven hair. Sarwen wore a dress woven of the same elven silk as Daron's doublet.

Are you all right? she asked. But Sarwen did not speak aloud. It was only an intense thought, but it was quite enough. The two Elven twins were so close that they could often understand each other's thoughts.

Yeah, Daron said aloud, adding in thought, Except for the fact that this giant beast isn't listening to us right now!

Sarwen understood this silent thought as well. The two Elven children were in the middle of the mountainous wilderness of High Elbiana on the crest of a mountain range. From up there, they could see the sea to the west. On the coast lay Elbenhaven, the capital of the Elven kingdom of Elbiana. To the east rose rugged rock massifs and mountains, some covered with snow. A rugged, impassable land. One of these rocks had the shape of a tower and was therefore called the Elven Tower.

Daron and Sarwen had flown from Elbenhaven on the giant bat's back. With their magic, they had guided the spirit of the beast. 

But all of a sudden the monster didn't want to obey them anymore!

For a whole year they had been trying to tame the giant bat they had found injured in a ravine. The elves were famous for their healing arts, and even though the twins were not trained elven healers, of course, they understood enough of them to nurse a giant bat with broken wings back to health. 

They had also given him a name. They called the flying monster Rarax. This was actually the name of a jagged rock on the coast north of Elbenhaven. The shadow cast by this rock was reminiscent of the spread wings of the giant bat.

Rarax flew in a wide arc in the direction of the elf tower.

We lost him! the elf boy heard Sarwen's thoughts.

Daron looked at her, and his eyes filled completely with blackness, so that nothing bright could be seen in them. Not if we combine our magical powers! he said.

Apparently, Daron was not ready to give up yet. They had put too much effort into taming the monster. First, they had painstakingly fed and cared for Rarax until he was somewhat restored, and then they had tried to turn him into a mount that would follow its owners as faithfully as an elven horse.

Elven horses already reacted to the thoughts of their riders - at least if they were elves. These horses did not need reins and never ran away.

Daron also imagined the characteristics of a tamed giant bat. Its mind was much harder to control than that of an elven horse, but the magical abilities of the twins were much greater than those of most other elves.

So Daron did not see why it should not succeed, and Sarwen also thought that it would be a fine thing to win this monster as a faithful servant.

During the Great War, the giant bats had carried cat warriors across the sea to attack the Elven Kingdom. After Xaror, the Lord of Darkness, was defeated, these creatures wandered aimlessly through the wilderness. It was not a bad idea to make use of these creatures.

Some of them had already specialized in hunting free-roaming elven horses, and had become a real plague on the land.

We won't let him get away!, Sarwen's thought reached her brother. Her eyes also became completely filled with blackness, a sign that she was gathering the dark magical power inside her.

Rarax suddenly changed the direction of his flight. He no longer headed for the Elven tower, but turned off toward the sea. For a moment it seemed as if he wanted to fly back to Elbenhaven alone, then he changed direction again. He moved jerkily, as if he were under a compulsion. In the meantime, he fell a whole distance like a stone into the depths, because he no longer moved his wings properly.

Come here already! thought Daron and Sarwen at the same moment.

The thought was so strong and intense that it frightened and intimidated Rarax.

Come on!

The giant bat emitted angry, hissing sounds that alternated with shrill cries. For human ears, these high-pitched sounds would have been partly inaudible, but for the much more sensitive ears of the elf children, they were almost unbearable even from this great distance, and that, although they already shielded themselves inwardly against it.

We'll end up with a tamed giant bat and have gone deaf for it!, Daron heard his sister's voice of thought.

Would that be so bad? asked Daron back. Finally, they heard each other's thoughts. They had little contact with other Elven children, and the admonitions of their grandfather, the Elven King Keandir, were not always necessary to hear, Daron thought.

Rarax returned. At first it seemed as if the giant bat wanted to attack the two elf children. Fluttering, it stretched its clawed feet ahead as it landed and seemed intent on catching one of the two elf heads.

But the twins retreated in time. With the help of their magical abilities, they had the giant beast so far under control that they knew in advance what it intended.

Don't you ever let that happen again! a thought reached Rarax's mind that he couldn't tell if it came from Daron or Sarwen. They were too similar.

Rarax landed. He snorted to himself.

Calm down! You don't have to be afraid!, Sarwen sent him another thought.

Daron approached cautiously, and the winged monster let this happen without striking at him with its claws. I think he's come to his senses, he said.

Then we should take advantage of that and fly back to Elbenhaven, Sarwen said.

If they had had to walk the way, it would have been very exhausting and time-consuming. The capital of the elven kingdom was clearly visible from this height and seemed within reach, but the terrain on the way there was very rugged and impassable. Even on the back of an elven horse, one would have had to take many detours.

Daron stepped so close to the giant bat that he only had to reach out to touch it. He sensed that the animal's soul had calmed down. So he dared to actually reach out and touch the giant bat's fur, which was very thick at the nape of its neck.

Rarax let it happen.

He still growled a little, but it was probably no longer expected that he attacked again or simply flew away.

Daron gathered once again all that was in him of the magical power of darkness - that power which was so tremendously strong in him and Sarwen. Stronger even than it had been with her father Prince Magolas or her grandfather King Keandir.

That was also one of the reasons why the twins were scary to many elves. Almost all elves had some magical talent. Some were trained as mages or shamans to develop their talent. But for many ages the magic of the elves had been weakening. No one knew the reason for this.

Only Daron and Sarwen were an exception. Their powers were reminiscent of the power that the mages and shamans had had in the old days. And this, although the elven children were strictly speaking only half-elves, because their mother had been a human woman.

Rarax folded the wings at his sides, and Daron climbed onto the giant bat's back.

Come, Sarwen!

Yes, in a minute!

A little later, they were both sitting on Rarax's back, holding onto the long fur. The giant bat unfolded its wings again. Then, at Daron's mental command, it let itself be carried into the depths by the wind.

On, to the castle of Elbenhaven!, Daron sent a thought command to Rarax. He felt only a very weak resistance.

Daron was able to loosen the invisible magical reins with which he directed the bat's mind. While the whites of Sarwen's eyes had long since been restored, the darkness was now receding from Daron's eyes as well.

Sarwen looked down and saw a train of packed Elven-bred horses struggling up the steep paths to the Elven tower.

At the very top of the tower-shaped rock was the workshop of the famous Elvish weapons master and inventor Thamandor. Initially, this workshop had been in the city of Elbenhaven, but after he nearly reduced the entire city of Elbenhaven to rubble during one of his experiments, the citizens had insisted that the workshop be moved to another location.

The top of the Elbe Tower seemed just right for this. There, even in the event of a major explosion, the city would not be affected.

Ah, it's beautiful up here! Sarwen groaned, looking first into the depths and then out to sea, where the sails of several ships could be seen. For the most part, they were recognizable as Elvish ships, even from a distance, by their slender, elongated shape. But since the end of the Great War, ships from the lands of men have also found their way across the sea to trade with the merchants of Elvenhaven.

You'd have to take a really long trip with Rarax sometime, Daron said. Imagine how far you could fly with that giant bat. All the way to the farthest duchies of the empire. To northern Bergen or Meerland. Or to the lands of men.

"Oh, Daron ...

Or to the forest kingdom, where the centaurs live! Or to Cylopia, where the peaceful giants live... Daron really went into raptures.

Rarax is still far too hard to rely on for that. 

I know. But in time that will change, and he will follow us as faithfully as an elven horse would. Daron had often listened when the captains of the elven fleet spoke of their far voyages at the Elven King's table. Or when Duke Isidorn of Nordbergen came to visit, or Lirandil the Tracker - one of the Elf King's most loyal followers - once again stayed at