He decided not to touch the translucent wall that surrounded the gathering of elves. He wasn't sure what the reaction might be between it and the magical shield Jure placed around him. Instead, he rushed entirely around the large dome in order to ensure it was complete. He found no breaks in the wall.
For all the elves he could see, he did not observe any injuries. They all seemed in good health, though their spirits seemed bleak. It was not a surprise. He could not imagine what it would be like to be held captive in such an oppressive prison. The dark realm was desolate enough on its own. To be trapped for long under a massive and unmoving shadow would likely have driven the delver mad.
There were no dark creatures near the dome, other than the few razor crows flying overhead, but they were outside the shaded wall. It was the one shred of optimism he could find. He could not imagine why the elves had been corralled in such a manner, but at least he saw no imminent danger to their well-being.
After completing his dash around the barrier, Ryson rushed back to Holli and Jure.
"I found them. They look alright, but they're under some kind of barrier. I'm not sure…"
Holli cut him off.
"Do not try to explain it. Just keep your mind focused upon everything you sensed." She then turned to Jure. "Please remove your spell."
Jure did so with a wave of his hand.
Without another word, Holli cast a spell of her own. A green octagon emerged from her fingertips. It expanded as she spread her arms outward. It engulfed the three of them as she placed one hand on Ryson's shoulder and the other on Jure's.
Instantly, they shared the full sensations of Ryson's memory. Ryson himself found the recollection strengthening in his own mind just as it passed to Holli and Jure. He saw the overwhelming dome, even relived the sense of awe he felt when he first saw it. Deep in his mind, he recalled his inspection of the elves, heard their mumbled discussions with enhanced clarity. He even smelled the smoke of their small fires as if they were burning right next to him. The crispness of the memory surprised him, surpassed his recollection of the actual event.
Holli removed her hands from her companions once the memory was passed in full. Both she and Jure had been able to experience every sensation Ryson acquired during his scout and with the same vivid recollection.
Holli engaged them both with her considerations, disregarding any fascination with the results of her spell.
"No visible threats," she concluded. "Razor crows, but not enough to pose any true danger. The grounds are clear of dark creatures both inside the dome and across the lowland clearing. The elves have secured a camp. They have guards in the trees and at the perimeter. They also seem to have obtained significant supplies of food and water."
"The barrier is remarkable," Jure added. "It's stable but translucent, and apparently uniform and unbroken. It appears to have been in place for some time. Amazing."
"There did not seem to be any magical traps," Holli noted. She then looked to Ryson. "Do you feel it is safe to approach?"
"I didn't see anything that might be a problem, other than the barrier."
"That does appear to be the main obstacle, but you were able to hear the elves, which means they can hear us. We can communicate with them, and that should be our next objective."
"I would like to get a closer look at that barrier," Jure requested.
"Then let us proceed."
Ryson took the lead and guided the elf and wizard over the few obstacles before them and to the very edge of the barrier. The delver's earlier scout had already gained the attention of the elf guards at the perimeter, and two figures moved toward them from the center of the camp.
With the barrier between them, the elf guard captain, Birk Grund, and the camp elder, Shantree Wispon, greeted the newcomers with growing optimism. They had been found… and by Holli Brances no less. Though the powerful wizard of Connel was not with them, the two trapped elves could not deny the hope that rescue was near.
After a brief discussion revealing the extent of their capture and the identity of their captor, the two elf leaders allowed Holli and Jure to consider the implications of the additional information and to devise a plan of liberation.
Considering the full extent of what they learned, Holli could not avoid the obvious conclusion.
"Ansas wanted to bring me here," she declared.
"Maybe the both of us," Jure added.
"That is true. Together we defeated him in Pinesway, and I forced him to accept banishment in the dark realm. He has been here ever since, perfecting his abilities and perhaps planning his revenge."
"Maybe we shouldn't be hanging around here waiting for him to notice us," Ryson offered.
"Also true," Holli agreed. "We need to get everyone back to Dark Spruce as soon as possible."
Though her abilities as a magic caster were growing, she knew she could not break through the magical barrier. Jure, however, was blessed with greater skills.
"Can you free them?" she asked of the wizard.
"I've been analyzing the barrier," Jure admitted. "It doesn't require additional energy to maintain its existence, just the magic it was given at the initial casting. It's also blocking all teleportation and portal spells by slightly destabilizing the space within the dome. Portals can't be opened, and space for teleportation can't be condensed because of the unstable conditions. A clean path can't be created."
"But can you break through?" the elf pressed.
"I think so."
"We have tried," the elf guard captain revealed. Birk explained the attempts made to destroy the wall and how they failed.
Jure considered everything he was told but did not lose faith in his ability to conquer the barrier. He didn't wish to seem boastful, but his power and his circumstances allowed for a different approach. He quickly described his intentions.
"You were limited on what you could do because you were trapped on the inside," Jure noted. "I'm not. The instability of the space inside the dome in relation to the stability of the barrier itself is the key. I can't teleport us in or anyone out, but I can cast a teleportation spell on the exterior of the wall itself. That should create enough disturbance to shatter it."
"You're going to try to teleport the barrier?" Ryson asked, curious about the technique. "Where are you going to send it?"
"I'm not really going to send it anywhere. I just want to compress the space that the barrier itself occupies. In essence, I will teleport the outer shell back upon itself. When I do, the instability within the barrier should shift and press against the wall. If that happens, I believe the whole thing will collapse."
"There will be no need for that," a firm voice announced. "That would take too much of your magic, and I don't want you blaming your defeat on any loss of energy. I want you to know that I bested you when you were at full power."
Ansas walked up to the group following the same trail Ryson had used to reach the edge of the barrier. The sorcerer revealed no emotion as he faced the elf guard and the wizard who had once defeated him and forced him into exile.
"I give you credit, though," the sorcerer continued. "Your idea was sound. It would have worked, but as you will see, it's not necessary."
For but a moment, he disregarded them all and concentrated on the barrier he created. Ansas showed no concern for his safety, even as he stood before those he viewed as enemies. With a wave of his hand, the barrier dissolved.
"The elves are free to leave as they wish. They may construct a portal back to their forest at their leisure. I won't stop them…" he paused and refocused his attention upon Holli and Jure, "…that is as long as you two don't try to escape with them."
Despite the presence of an elf elder and the captain of the elf guard, Holli took command. She was no longer an official member of the camp, and thus, she held to no traditional role as a subordinate.