Landsbyen -Into the North- An Epic Poem 56

“This will come to an end now,” Rian demanded! Joulupukki nudged Dyndoeth and glanced at the crystals in each corner of the ceiling. He saw the elf begin to tense. He also noticed the difference in the stance of the Forest Elves caused by some unseen signal from Seileach. Without warning the Ibero Elf let forth a powerful stream of magic that hit each crystal causing them to glow. Instantly the energy shot forth and struck three of the Forest Elves and one of the Council Guards. They all collapsed. Only a fraction of a moment behind, Joulupukki's magic struck the crystals turning them to dust. Immediately he struck out at Rian and threw him across several tables and slammed him into the wall. At the same time all three doors burst open and Dark Elves began streaming into the Hall. Rian, injured, but still strong, made his escape through the side door. Joulupukki saw this and grabbed Dyndoeth. “Get to your cottage as quickly as possible, Rian has escaped. I'll take care of this and join you as soon as I can.” “Yes, my King,” was Dyndoeth's response, Joulupukki hated it when he addressed him that way. Like a man half his age Dyndoeth opened a path through the Dark Elves, running out of the Great Eating Hall. Magic was flying everywhere in the room with more and more Dark Elves pushing their way toward the Councilman. Seileach and three of the Councilmen were holding their own, the fourth one from Erin had slipped away and was no where to be seen. Joulupukki was entangling elf after elf in his webs and plastering the walls with them, but he knew it was only a matter of time before they would overrun him. Osviklig appeared by his side and Joulupukki called, “protect the Council,” to the elf. Osviklig and three other elves with him moved to join Seileach. “To the Council,” he yelled to the remaining Council Elves and Forest Elves! They all complied as quickly as they could. When they gathered they formed a tight ring around the group, the Dark Elves doing their best to break through their defenses. Joulupukki standing to one side cast a powerful dome of magic over them and yelled! “Sit down,” they stared at him but no one moved, “on the floor!” There were looks of confusion from the group of elves. “Sit!” He Demanded! As they sat on the floor protected by Joulupukki's dome they watched at least sixty or seventy Dark Elves furiously attack the dome and attack Joulupukki. The half elf raised his staff in the air and slammed it to the floor. A beam of energy cast through the crystal and struck each of the standing elves in the hall raising them off of the ground where they hovered for a few seconds and then hurled them to the floor, much more forcefully then gravity could ever have dropped them. Most were knocked unconscious, but a few could be heard moaning from injuries that they sustained, mostly broken bones. Joulupukki immediately released the dome and walked over to Seileach helping him from the floor. “I must get to Dyndoeth's cottage, I believe Rian is headed there. See to it that each of these elves are bound and imprisoned some place where they can not use their magic. Also, Seileach, please check on the elves that have fallen here.” “I will see to it, my King,” Seileach replied bowing his head slightly. “I will join you,” the Lead Council Elf declared. Joulupukki looked at him, “You are bound to the Council my friend, not to me. If you wish to help me, then make certain the Councilman are kept safe.” “Yes, my King.” Again with the 'my King', he thanked the elf and ran as fast as he could from the Keep and through the cobbled streets. He expected to find resistance from Dark Elves along his way but was pleasantly surprised to see that they were being harassed and harried all along the route by the common bakers and shop keepers. Each elf had very different magics, the baker could use his to make the fluffiest breads and sweetest pastries, the cobbler could make the most comfortable shoes that could make you run so fast that it felt as if you were flying, the Glass Elves could create glass that was so pure that you would bump into it without even knowing it was there or so filled with color that you could not help but stare in awe at the stories they told. None of them had magic that was expected to fight off the Dark Elves, but Joulupukki watched as a cobbler magically lengthened a Dark Elves shoe laces and tied them together making him fall to the ground and he saw a baker wrap another elf in a layer of dough and bake it so hard around him that the elf couldn't move. Many of the elves waved to him as he ran past and he helped them where he could, incapacitating some of the more persistent and dangerous of the evil ones. As he grew closer to Dyndoeth's cottage he came across several elves that were obviously sent to keep anyone from entering it. “My, my, aren't you in a hurry,” one of them said with confidence. He reached out a hand for Joulupukki to stop, but the King dispatched all of them without a word and with out breaking stride. He came upon the cottage from the rear and found another group standing outside of the stable keeping well clear of the cottage door. Joulupukki casually walked up to the one who seemed the loudest assuming that he was the leader of the group.