The Endless Forest

Felix was up early along with everyone else. It was a big day, one that would surely be filled with excitement. Of course, he still worried about how people would perceive him, but with Aluin, Eri, Kyrith, and, most importantly, Zira; he wasn’t going to be facing it all alone.

Even with Aluin’s words echoing in his mind, he had committed himself to this. He wouldn’t shy away from anything.

“Oh, this is going to be fun! I can’t wait to see their faces!” Kyrith said, projecting his voice. It was a skill that Zira had originally figured out, but it didn’t take him long to master it as well.

They were all lined up outside and doing one final check to make sure they had everything. Aluin was only going to teleport them once, it would be too straining to make several trips in a row.

“Calm yourself,” Zira responded, sounding annoyed. She had been putting up with him all night apparently.

The ember-colored dragon made a face at her. “Aren’t you excited? We’re going–”

She growled.

“Kyrith! Please, behave.” It was Eri. “We know that you are excited, but you wouldn’t let either of us sleep.” The elven woman had bags under her eyes.

Kyrith lowered his head in submission, letting out a low whimper.

Zira smiled, but Felix stepped into the conversation. “Now Zira, you need to relax. You spent most of the evening sleeping anyway.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “And whose fault is that? You were supposed to wake me.”

He shrugged. “I wanted you to get as much rest as possible, and by the sounds of it, it was the right call.”

She let out a frustrated snort, but he could feel that she conceded that point.

He turned back to the two elves. “Anyways, me and Zira are ready.”

“Same,” Eri replied, tightening the straps of her bag.

Aluin nodded. “Right, a word of warning before I teleport us. You will probably feel dizzy and nauseated, so try to remain still. It should pass quickly enough, but if it doesn’t, I do have something that will help.”

The elf gestured for everyone to get close. “Now, I will teleport us.”

They gathered around him and waited as he closed his eyes. Instantly, the air around them began to charge with the Sage’s mana.

Even without his mana sight, Felix could tell it was quite powerful. Of all the spells I want to learn, this is the one I want the most…

He closed his eyes, taking in the sensation. Mana continued to swell around them and began to envelope them in a bubble–

They were gone.

Solanna scanned the crowd in a panic, hoping to find her brother. They had gotten separated as they wound their way through the ever-growing numbers of people. I told him to stay close! She shouted in her mind.

“Yedril!” She called out, trying not to let her worry show.

“Sister!”

She heard the familiar voice of her brother, but she didn’t calm down. His voice sounded strained.

“Over here!”

Almost barreling through everyone in her way, she made her way over to an alley between two small buildings. “Yedril…” She muttered at his sight.

He was hunched over the wall of one of the buildings, one arm supporting him and the other holding his stomach.

“I’m fine…” He stammered out between breaths. “Just a bit of nausea…” Solanna watched him wipe the sweat from his brow.

“No… No, you’re not.” She said sternly and closed the distance to him. Reaching into a pouch, she pulled out a rag and began to wipe his face.

Yedril barely noticed as he reaffirmed his statement. “I am… See,” he let go of the wall and pretended to stand up straight. His quivering legs were way too obvious, however. Not to mention, he was unable to pull away from Sollanna's grip on her shoulder as she finished.

At around average height, for an elf, Yedril was rather sickly. His mana and body were constantly at odds, which led to his debilitated state. Every day was a struggle for him, even the better ones…

Solanna looked deep into his brilliant amber-colored eyes, brushing his ghostly-blonde hair out of the way. She could see the reflection of her own face in them, nearly identical features to his. However, they were not identical twins; she was nearly five years older.

Solanna ignored that and looked deeper. He was hiding the pain from her. It killed her to see him like this. Every day he was fighting, every day he was suffering. Yet, not once had he complained.

She pulled him into a hug, trying to hide her own tears from him. “Oh, brother…” She whispered. “I promise I’ll speak with the Sage. I just know he can do something about this… But please, let me take you back to our tent. You can rest–”

“No!” He pulled away from her.

“I wanted to come here to celebrate! Not to beg! I don’t have much time left, I know, but I don’t plan on wallowing in my own misery.” He clenched his fists, but it wasn’t in anger.

He’s scared…

The two of them had originated from a remote village, though calling it that was laughable. Really, it was just their family who stayed there permanently. The rest of their tribe was nomadic and only came around sporadically.

Their family had no choice but to stay there, Yedril was simply too weak to travel far. Which is why their trek to Bernel was vehemently opposed to by their parents. Still, both siblings had their own reasons for coming here.

Solanna had heard from a messenger of their tribe that Master Aluin would be here. And that he was looking for volunteers, whatever that meant. All she cared about though, was getting her brother before him.

Meanwhile, Yedril was dying. His affliction was slowly killing him, and it showed no signs of letting up. In fact, it was doing the opposite. It was accelerating.

What bothered him, however, was that for most of his life, he’d been relegated to their home. He knew only of the outside world through the stories his sister and parents told. That alone, was what was truly killing him.

He wanted to live…

In the end, the two of them formed a plan and snuck out in the early morning. All they left was a simple note, apologizing.

Their trek was long and filled with potential dangers everywhere. But Solanna had prayed, both to the dragon spirits of the forest and to the gods above. She prayed that they would reach their destination safely, and for Yedril’s affliction to be merciful to him.

Her prayers had been answered and now, here they were, in a random alleyway in the village of Bernel. Unfortunately, it appeared that they had expired…

“Solanna… Sister– I…” Yedril looked away, unable to speak.

Wiping her tears away, she steeled herself. “Then let’s go–” He opened his mouth to argue, but she spoke over him. “–Let’s go to the gathering. Master Aluin will be there to make an announcement, and I know how much you’ve wanted to see him.”

She forced a smile.

“I’d like that…” He said, barely audible.

Solanna held out her hand and waited for him to take it. He looked down at it for a moment, before reaching out, grasping hers.

She squeezed tightly, afraid that he would slip away. “Then come on! If we don’t hurry, I’ll have to lift you onto my shoulders so you can see!” She shouted with mock bravado.

Yedril gulped. “Yes… I don’t think I could take the embarrassment…”

She replaced her fake smile with a genuine one at that.

I will find a cure.

Felix peaked out through a window, looking down at the gathering crowd below. Him, Aluin, and Eri had arrived a few hours ago in secrecy. The village Chief, Yorlen, had greeted them at a pre-arranged spot, and had given them cloaks to wear to help disguise them.

As for why? They had several reasons, the most obvious one was Aluin. The Sage was well known, and everyone knew he would be there. If he was spotted, they might never make it on time.

Then there was Felix himself, a human in a village of elves who all hated or detested his kind. On a quick glance, one could easily mistake him for one of them. But all they had to do was see his ears, and then they would know.

Already, the Chief had shown his own hesitancy towards Felix. Thankfully, because of Aluin’s presence, the elf had composed himself.

It probably helps that word has spread about my arrival… Being invited to the Endless Forest by the Dragon Queen does give me some hope that they will at least give me a chance. If only a small one…

“Nervous?” Eri asked from right beside him, startling him from his thoughts.

“Oh! Uh… A little I guess? I mean, I’ve practiced my part and right now Zira is going over everything one last time with Kyrith.” The two dragons were still somewhere in the forest, they would make their appearance later.

“I’m…aware. Zira has bopped him on the snout twice– Thrice now.” She winced as she finished.

Felix could only shake his head in amusement, the younger dragon was too excited. And while he understood the sentiment, they all had a role to play. With the dragons having the most important part.

He needed a way to convince the elves that he was no threat. While at the same time, he needed to show them he was serious and that Fea had made the right choice. In the end, he came up with what he hoped was a good idea…

There was a knock at the door that got both his and Eri’s attention. A moment later, Aluin and Chief Yorlen entered the room.

Aluin spoke. “Everything is ready, we’re just waiting for a few stragglers.”

The Chief nodded. “Indeed, the balcony is set up and the streets crowded. However, I have made sure to keep a large section cleared, despite a few protests.”

Felix smiled. “Good–” Are you and Kyrith ready?

Zira answered immediately. Yes.

“–We’re ready.”

A few more minutes passed before they were led up to the balcony. Felix could hear the crowd before they even reached the door, and no sooner had it been open, the crowd began to quiet down.

Chief Yorlen was first to exit through the door, and a moment later only whispers could be heard. Everyone else waited patiently for their cue.

“Thank you all for coming,” the Chief started, “for those of you new to our little village, I am Chief Yorlen.” There was a pause as some people began to clap. He waited for them to settle down again before he continued.

“Today marks the start of Ascension, an old but important holiday. For the next two days, we will celebrate with food and wine. Our shops will be open, and games will be played. However, on the third day, we shall hold a vigil. One to remember what has been lost…”

Silence trailed him, as he grew quiet. “For those who have been lost before, during, and since.”

The crowd erupted in applause.

It took even more time for them to calm down. “However, before we begin…” He gestured towards the door, the cue they were waiting for. “Master Aluin has graced us with his appearance and wishes to make an announcement.”

Aluin led their procession, with Eri behind him, and Felix behind her. However, as they entered onto the balcony, Felix and Eri each took a side of the Sage. Meanwhile, the crowd grew excited again.

“Thank you, Chief Yorlen.” Aluin spoke after the crowd began to fall silent. “However, I must make one small correction. It is not I who will be making the announcement, but Felix.”

With the elf’s gesture towards him, Felix stepped up and looked down upon the gathering below them. He could see confusion written onto most faces, but a few seemed to have already picked up on what he was.

“A human!” Someone shouted, causing even more to realize. Soon, the entire crowd was in an uproar. That was, until Aluin shouted, using some sort of spell to amplify his voice.

“SILENCE!”

Seeing his opportunity, Felix chose the next moment to speak up. “Thank you, Chief Yorlen and Master Aluin. Thank you for allowing me to be here and to make my announcement.” He turned and bowed to each one respectively before facing the crowd again.

“My name is Felix, and as you all have correctly pointed out, I am a human.” He did his best to keep his voice neutral and to not let any nervousness show.

“With that being said, I have come here for two reasons. The first is quite simple, to make myself known to you all.” He scanned the crowd as he continued to speak.

“Before her passing, Her Majesty, The Dragon Queen, brought me here. Her reasoning was her own, but she asked me to become the guardian of our endless forest.”

He stopped for a brief moment, letting his words sink in.

“But that is not all!” Felix shouted suddenly, keeping the crowd from getting distracted. “I am here for a second reason, and it is tied to her request–”

There was a roar in the distance, causing everyone to look up in surprise. Gasps could be heard as two distant figures could be seen.

“–Fea asked me to bring them back! To bring the dragons back!” Another roar sounded out, as if in agreement with him. “And so I am!”

The two figures grew larger as they raced towards the village.

“BEHOLD! ZIRA AND KYRITH!”

The two dragons streaked past overhead, letting their mighty roars deafen the crowd. They continued, only slowing to turn and make another pass. This time, however, they made for the ground where the Chief had kept clear.

he crowd began to panic at their sight, some even started running away. Meanwhile, the two dragons waited until the last possible moment before they flared their wings and began to bleed all their speed.

They touched down gracefully, with the sound of their mighty wings beating.

Everyone went silent. The screaming and panic had passed, and now slowly, the crowd’s reaction was turning into awe.

Felix looked down at the two dragons, quite pleased at the results.

Not a soul looked away, as the two dragons stood regally. Then, Zira spoke with a dragon’s equivalent of a bow.

“My name is Zira, and the other one is Kyrith. It is a pleasure to meet you all.” Her voice echoed outwards for all to hear.

“And now for my announcement,” Felix said, speaking up.

“I am looking for volunteers.”

“Yedril! Did you hear that?!” Solanna asked with excitement.

“I did… But–”

She grasped his hand, cutting him off. “This could be our– I mean, your chance to meet the great Sage!”

The ‘announcement’ had just ended, and most elves had started dispersing. The festival had now officially started… Except for the siblings, well, specifically Solanna. She was more interested in this ‘volunteering’ that the human had spoken of, but not for herself.

No, she was thinking of her brother. Her goal of getting him before the Sage had suddenly become tangible.

“But sister–” He tried to say, but was once again stopped.

Solanna tightened her grip, and looked deep into his eyes. She was going to have to be a little forceful, even if she didn’t want to. “Yedril, this is a great opportunity for you. He could heal you–”

“Stop!” He shouted, pulling his hand from hers. “Will you listen to me?! I don’t wish to bother the great Sage. Besides, who is to say he will even be there? It’s the human that is looking for volunteers.”

As if on cue, a voice spoke up. “If you are interested in volunteering, then please follow me, Zira, and Master Aluin!”

He winced at that, losing the one strong argument that he had. In actuality, Yedril did want to meet the Sage. He had only heard stories of him, but never had the chance to see, let alone speak, to him.

Despite ‘winning’ their argument, Solanna took no pleasure in it. It’s all for him, she reminded herself.

She reached and grasped his hand gently, as she spoke. “Yedril… Look, I’m sorry. But even if he can’t or won’t heal you, I know how much you’ve wanted to see him. This is the perfect opportunity, and I don’t think we should waste it.”

He slumped his shoulders in defeat, she was right after all. But that didn’t mean he liked it, not like this. Solanna was only thinking of him, and that’s what frustrated him more than anything.

He just wanted her to be free of his burden.

“Alright,” he finally relented, “let’s go.”

Noria, for once, was extremely excited and for good reason. This was her chance to finally meet a dragon. Something she had, albeit secretly, wanted to do since she was a child. However, it seemed that she was not the only one…

The orange-red dragon, Kyrith she believed he was called, was currently being swarmed by elves of all kinds. His friendly demeanor was like a magnet for the kids. There was just something about him that everyone found attractive.

On the other hand, the deep-purple dragon, Zira, was practically alone.

Or not.

The human from before was standing next to her, but there was this sort of feeling emanating from her that was keeping people away.

So while she hesitated on which dragon to approach, it was Lorem who spoke up. “I think I might go and see what this whole volunteering thing is about.”

That had snapped her out of her dilemma. “What,” she asked, not entirely sure she heard correctly.

He chuckled. “I said, I think I’m going to see what this whole volunteering is–”

“Why?” She asked, a bit too fast.

For the first time since she had known him, his joyful appearance dropped. He looked down at her with a serious expression.

“For several reasons, really. But if it is about what I think it is, then it would put me a lot closer to the village… And more importantly, to you.”

Her heart skipped a beat, leaving her flustered. “B-but– I mean… We only just started to–”

Lorem lowered himself down to her level, clearly doing it without the intention of belittling her. “The truth is, Noria… I think I’ve fallen in love with you. I want to be closer to you, and this just might be the opportunity…”

She wasn’t listening, she couldn’t. Her heart was pounding in her chest, almost deafening her. She couldn’t even think, let alone get her mouth working.

“…I’m not expecting you to have an answer now, nor will I push you. But I… But I really want to spend more time with you.” Despite the seriousness of his tone, there was a hint of apprehension.

He stood up straight again as her mind started to process everything he just said.

“I–” She started to say, but was interrupted by another voice.

“If you are interested in volunteering, then please follow me, Zira, and Master Aluin!” It was the human, and he was calling out to what was left of the crowd.

Lorem let out a sigh. “Well, wish me luck–”

Wait! Wait! Wait! She was frantic. “WAIT!” She shouted, grabbing his arm.

He stopped and looked at her with… Fear? What…? Realization dawned on her, he was afraid she was going to reject him. There was so much she wanted to say, but she didn’t have the time. Instead, she said the first thing that popped into her mind…

“I’m coming with you!”