"You think the birds serve as a watch?"
"That, of course, is something we must consider, and it would explain the behavior of the winged monsters."
"A simple sight spell overhead would be much easier than controlling several prey birds and linking with their consciousness," the elder elf suggested.
"Agreed, but if forcing us here and creating the barrier that imprisons us is within the sorcerer's power, then controlling several birds would be of minor consequence. We know very little about the sorcerer other than what his brief visits have allowed us to observe, but his strength should not be underestimated."
"Point taken, but we have discussed the fact that we are probably being watched. Even if the sorcerer is utilizing hook hawks and razor crows, you seem to be more concerned by that prospect now."
"That is not completely accurate. While I wish to understand all threats, I am concerned with the inconsistencies in the beasts that surround us. Why do the birds remain overhead while creatures on the ground refuse to come near the edge of the barrier?"
"Do you have any speculation on the matter?" the elf elder questioned.
"I do."
Shantree raised an eyebrow offering an expectant expression of curiosity.
"There maybe a secondary barrier," Birk continued, "something that is deliberately discouraging the creatures on foot from remaining in this area. Perhaps not a physical obstruction, but a deterrent nonetheless. That would explain the buffer between us and them."
"You think the sorcerer would place a second barrier to keep the dark creatures away from us?"
"It is a possibility."
"That sounds rather inconsistent," Shantree noted as she considered the concept of the devious sorcerer acting as both their captor and their benefactor.
"Not necessarily."
"Explain, please," Shantree requested, trying to weigh the likelihood of such a possibility.
"We do not know why we were brought here, but we do know that six individual elves have been transported out from under the barrier. We do not know what happened to them, but we have to accept that there is a purpose to this madness. The sorcerer wishes to utilize us for something. In order to meet his needs, he must keep us alive. That means keeping hostile creatures away from us… until, of course, his needs are fulfilled."
"So you believe we have been afforded additional protection in the form of some second barrier?"
"It is a possibility. Many of the larger creatures of this realm might have the sheer power to break through one barrier, but not if they are being persuaded by other magical means to stay away. Even if something as large as a thrastil approached, it might have to fight its way through some additional buffer. The sorcerer would potentially have sufficient warning to intervene to save us from such a threat."
"Then a second barrier works to our benefit," Shantree replied.
"Not if we hope to break free," Birk countered. "Yes, we have additional protection, but we are also trapped here. What good is it to break out of the first barrier, if we are faced with being trapped by a second?"
Shantree remained patient in both her tone and expression, but she reminded Birk of their past discussions and actions.
"We have tried to break free of the barrier and failed. While freedom is our ultimate goal, I'm not certain that a second barrier should cause us any more concern than the first."
"That depends. So far, you have instructed a conservation of the camps' combined magical abilities. If we reach the point where you allow for a complete assault on the barrier, I would like to know more about what awaits us just beyond."
"I do not believe we have reached that point of desperation," Shantree revealed. "At least, not yet."
While Shantree revealed a desire for caution, Birk remained respectful of her authority as the camp elder. Still, it was his duty to protect the elf camp and to secure them from imminent danger. Every moment the elves remained trapped in the dark realm represented unacceptable peril.
"You still believe we should wait?" Birk asked without the slightest degree of agitation or disbelief. He was simply confirming a strategy.
"We balance waiting with other alternatives. We focus on surviving… for that we need magic. Without it, we could not obtain food or water. I have always entertained any initiatives to escape this cursed realm, and I have already authorized the use of a great deal of magic. Unfortunately, nothing has worked. Portals fail to construct within the barrier, and the barrier refuses to weaken, let alone fall. Teleportation is useless, which continues to confound me. The sorcerer manages to remove elves from our group one at a time, but not one of our spells of transport work in any fashion."
"I agree it is confusing. Magic within the barrier works, as proven by our ability to obtain food and water, but not with consistency. As you have said, we can not utilize portals or teleportation, and while our spells do not seem to lack potency, they have little effect where we need them. We attack the ground under the barrier and we fail. We assault the barrier itself and we fail. We attempt to teleport and we fail."
"I know our failures," Shantree reminded the captain, showing an unusual moment of impatience.
Birk revealed that his intention was not to simply list miscalculations, but to highlight the need for new methods.
"Forgive me, but I wanted to emphasize that there is a new plan that is being developed that might work. It takes a different approach."
"A new idea?" Shantree asked with a hopeful expression attempting to break through the aged lines of her face.
"We believe the field around us was constructed by pure ebony magic, a power that uniquely condensed the most dominant energy inherent in this abysmal realm. Though the barrier is translucent and allows us to see beyond its borders, it is not completely invisible. We all see the outline of the obstruction, and its dark hue cannot be denied. Those elves capable of seeing the aura of magic assure me that the black energy is undeniable. Unfortunately, we have no elves among us that can cast in the shade of black with any genuine efficiency. That may be why we have failed to break through, but one of my officers proposed a layered attack of individual hues to chip away at a small section of the barrier."
"Go on."
"We have several skilled magic casters, but none that can cast in pure white or pure black. Still, there are those who have nearly perfected their own inherent hues. We are considering an attack that will focus one hue after another upon the barrier. Spells will be used in varying sequence, but they will each be focused on an individual color, and the barrier will be monitored as it is attacked. Instead of simply trying to blast through in one great release of energy, we will attempt to peel away at the barrier's strength. The proposal would require significant amounts of magical energy, but if we can find the right combination, I believe we can break a hole through the shield."
"Only a hole?" Shantree questioned.
"That is all we would need."
"We need to get every elf out, not just a meager few. I believe the sorcerer will know if the field has been compromised and will return to repair it, and perhaps punish those that worked to break free,"
"Those that are willing to make the attempt are aware of the risks."
"I assume that once you break a hole through the barrier, an elf will attempt to teleport away from this place or open a portal back to our home?"