Ralph and the Pixie

‘Like Pran’s daughter.’ Doc said.

The Thane nodded. ‘I know, too, that she has been witness to numerous acts of horrific barbarity, both to her kindred, and indeed to anyone who had given her people aid.’

‘You mean Elves, the ones she calls Pixie-friends?’ Doc asked.

‘In part,’ the Thane replied, ‘though not always. She once contrived to give away the presence of a war party of Goblins who lay in ambush, waiting for a company of my soldiers to ride into their trap. She was seen during the fighting, barely managing to escape with her life.’

‘No wonder Pran resigned his commission,’ Doc muttered.

‘Malina is not the only one,’ the Thane told him. ‘But, back to the matter at hand:

‘Resurrecting the Dead is a very foolish, very dangerous thing to do. Being no longer dead nor alive, they live in a world in between, occupied by succubae, banshees, Tsagoroth, wraiths, and other such deadly spirits.’

Doc looked doubtful. ‘Malina brought a couple of dead insects back to life-’

The Thane made a dismissing gesture. ‘That is another matter. Such creatures lack the intelligence to conceive of manipulating or controlling other living things. Alive or resurrected, their short lives remain largely unchanged. A being like an Elf, however, is much more substantial, and more powerful than such beings as exist in the spirit world, and it is this which gives them greater influence than any should have with such creatures. In the case of Cir, he might contrive to use this to his advantage. If he was ever to get his hands on the Lore, or even a small part of it, what he would be able to unleash does not bear thinking about.