The Endless Forest

Felix sucked in a lungful of air and immediately regretted it. His chest seared in pain, as he disturbed his broken ribs.

“Stop moving! I need you to lay as still as possible.” Eri said, her hands resting above him.

He grimaced before nodding, this next part wasn’t going to be fun. Another pair of hands suddenly pressed down onto his shoulders, the touch startling him for a moment and causing him to move. Yet more pain followed.

“I’ll hold him,” Noria said above him.

“Thank you,” Eri replied, her mana already flowing from what Felix could tell. “On the count of three, I’m going to start.” She said, looking back down to him.

Another nod followed by a sharp breath. He was ready as could be…

“One… Two… Three!” Eri shoved her hands down onto his chest and he instantly let out a roar.

Felix's hand shifted uncontrollably until it bumped into something. He immediately grabbed it and squeezed. Scaly? It was the only clear thought he had in that moment before the sound of bone shifting into place.

Another roar, this one was even more guttural.

It wasn’t his.

Zira continued to roar out as she forced herself deep into his mind. Frenzied, he desperately grasped for her and latched on. Connected physically and mentally, they shared the pain.

Then it was over.

The pain suddenly stopped, and a strange itchy sensation took over.

“Done…” Eri removed her hands and slumped over to his other side. Sweat dripped from her brow from the concentration.

Felix took several shallow breaths as Noria's hands let go of his shoulders. He pried his hand off of Zira just before she collapsed next to him. Her breathing was just as ragged.

“H-how bad…?” His voice was hoarse and shaky as he tried to speak.

“Three broken ribs, one nearly punctured your lung.” Eri answered, wiping the sweat away from her face. “I mended it all, but it's going to be tender for a while. I can see about Master–”

He raised his hand to stop her and shook his head. Then, in nearly a whisper, he added. “Leave him be…”

He closed his eyes and got his breathing under control. With that done, he began pulling in the surrounding mana, and just like when he fought those four dire wolves in the forest, began using it to accelerate his own healing. It wasn’t perfect, and not to mention slow, but it was better than nothing.

“Thank you,” he muttered. “I’m… I’m just going to rest…” Felix rolled his head to get a better look at the other elves. He couldn’t tell their expressions very well from his position, but he bet it was a mixture of shock and horror.

Not…much I…can do…about…that. “You’re…all dismissed,” he managed to get out, barely avoiding a coughing fit.

“Water…” He asked, looking towards Eri again. She promptly pulled out a waterskin and began pouring it into his mouth. He gulped down every last drop.

Once it was emptied, he let out a sigh. Already he was feeling his strength starting to return, but it was going to be a while before he attempted to even twitch.

Something nudged his right side, a scaly head propped itself next to his arm. Zira let out a whimper, he could feel her regret washing over their connection.

“I’m so sorry…” She whispered. I just snapped… There was something haunting in her tone.

Oh Zira… It’s okay. I’ll be fine. It was an accident, and I…shouldn’t have joked about that. I’m sorry. With the little strength he dared muster, he lifted his arm and patted her head.

She said nothing and leaned into his hand.

He felt the itching sensation in his chest again and did his best to ignore it by glancing over to Eri.

“Thank you, Eri. You, once again, healed my stupidity.” His throat was still raw, but with every minute it continued to improve. He cracked a smile up at the elven woman.

Eri had a dower expression that she held until their eyes met, it faded into a half-smile.

Oh no… “You did a good job–”

“Yet, not good enough.” She said curtly, cutting him off. She suddenly stood up, determination burning in her eyes. “I’ll be back to check on you in a little bit. Kyrith will stay here to alert me if you need anything else.”

Felix had completely forgotten about Kyrith. He flicked his eyes over to where the other dragon had been silently watching with a terrified expression.

Poor guy… “That’s okay, I’ll be fine…”

She wasn’t listening and instead was already walking towards the exit of the hatchery. He let out another sigh…

Yedril frowned, tapping his foot in agitation just outside the hatchery. He hadn’t been able to do anything to help. I froze… Even Noria was able to react! Yet, all I could do was freeze! Was I all just big talk about wanting to leave my mark on this world?!

No.

He furrowed his brow at his own perceived failure. The truth was, for the briefest of moments, he saw himself there on the floor, screaming out in pain.

His sickness still lingered over him.

It was like a specter, haunting him, reminding him of his own fragility. He couldn’t take it anymore. He needed to do something… But what? What can I fucking do? He didn’t know, he had no useful skills.

“Are you…okay?” It was his sister. There was worry in her tone.

“No,” he answered truthfully. “I couldn’t do anything to help.”

“Yedril–” She looked like she was about to state the obvious, what he already knew. But she stopped herself. Her expression brightened somewhat. “How about we get our bows and continue your lessons?”

He mulled it over. It would let me relieve some of this stress I guess… “Sure,” he said, forcing a smile upon his face.

Noria was digging through her boxes, looking for her mother’s journal. Lorem was leaning against the library’s door frame, watching with curiosity.

“You sure you don’t need any help?” He asked.

“No, it’s… It’s in here somewhere–” She pulled out a large leather-bound journal. “Found it!” She held it up triumphantly before realizing Lorem was watching her closely. Her face quickly reddened as she set it down gently.

He let out a chuckle and came to stand next to her. “So, what’s the rush for exactly?” She had made a bee-line straight to the library, muttering about the journal.

“Huh? Oh… Let me show you.” She began flipping through pages until she landed on the one in particular.

“Hmm? What does it say? It’s a bit hard with all the writing…” Lorem said, leaning over and squinting.

She fished into one of her pouches and pulled a dragon scale out, holding it out for him to see. “A regenerative potion!” She exclaimed excitedly, admittedly more than she meant too.

“I…see.” He smiled, but she could tell he was still lost.

Losing some of the wind in her sails, she explained further. “It’s like… Hmm, how should I put this?” She stood in contemplation for a moment. “You know how you get tired from exertion, and tend to get stiff and sore?”

“Yeah?” Lorem gave her a nod, but he clearly wanted to know where this was going.

“Well, this potion should be able to give you a boost and help with recovery– At least that is what my mother believed. Truth is, she never got to make it…” Her face fell into a frown, but she tried to not let it show.

“But! The ingredients shouldn’t be too hard to find, we already have the most important one!” She held the scale up again.

His eyes lit up in understanding. “You want to try making this potion?”

She nodded, her smile back in place. “I’ll have to experiment, nothing in my mother’s notes on it is exact. It’s mostly conjecture, in fact. But if I can do it… Then think of the possibilities! It could even help Master Aluin with his own recovery!”

“Or yours…” Lorem added, reminding her that she was still under the effects of mana exhaustion herself.

“Right… I forgot all about that.” She plopped down into a chair. I need mana to make the potion. Her head fell into the journal in frustration.

“Um, we can collect the resources, at least, right?” He offered.

She lifted her head up. “I suppose we can…”

Aluin cracked an eye open as he sat on his floor in meditation. He was looking at something that he had only seen once in his lifetime; Eri kowtowing before him.

“Please Master, I wish to learn more potent healing spells.”

He closed his eye and went into thought. She’s never shown any interest in healing until now… What hap– Ah, of course, Felix…

“What happened to Felix this time?” He simply asked.

“Zira whipped him with her tail, broke three of his ribs…” She finished listing all of Felix’s major injuries.

He let out a sigh and ended his meditation. If it were anyone else, I’d be concerned. But Felix has a penchant for getting hurt… Still… “You were able to heal him completely?”

There was a brief pause as she considered his question, still prostrating. “No, Master… I healed the injuries but not the effects. The procedure was…excruciating for him as well. I wish to learn how to improve or learn more advanced spells that could prevent this.” She ended, repeating her request.

Aluin found it somewhat amusing that she was begging him, but he took her request seriously. The last time she was this serious was when she had begged me to take her in as my student, my apprentice…

He winced internally, any humor he had was gone.

Is she ready for the truth? Is she ready for the next step? She has friends now. She has Felix, she has Kyrith. She is no longer alone in this world… The answer was clear to him.

This was still going to hurt. To hurt her, and him. But it was always going to hurt, he was just glad that she had the support needed to get through this.

Finally, he spoke. “Do you know why I haven’t taught you any advanced spells?”

Eri shook her head, her hair dragging on the floor. She refused to rise.

“It was because you never showed any interest in them, save for growing stronger. I never thought you were fit enough to learn them–” He watched her flinch at those words. “–It takes more than strength alone to master them, and you lacked the refinement, the will.”

He paused, allowing the words to fully sink in before continuing. “You were an angry young girl when you first came to me. Though you have grown older, and your reasons for joining me have changed. Deep down, that fire of yours continues to burn.”

He stood up over her. “Raise your head, Eri. Look me in the eyes.”

Quietly, she did as she was told. Aluin could see the knowing fear in her eyes, she was on the verge of tears.

“Do you remember what I said to you, the night that Kyrith hatched?” He asked, doing his best to keep his tone neutral.

She looked to be in thought but shook her head no.

“I don’t blame you, it was a hectic time. But allow me to refresh your memory. ‘The path you’re on is the correct one, and I will continue to support you.’

“I meant it then, and I mean it now. However, that path of yours?” He kneeled down, keeping his eyes locked onto hers.

“It doesn’t end with you becoming a Sage.”

Eri’s heart shattered.

Felix felt a sharp pain through his chest as he attempted to stand, his weight being supported by Zira.

Thanks. He waited a moment, resting as he leaned more into her.

Zira didn’t say anything, only sending a wave of concern over their bond. But Felix was more focused on the other dragon.

Kyrith was whimpering and looking in distress. It was clear he wanted to bolt away, but stayed within the hatchery and paced the walkway.

“Kyrith–” He coughed, his throat still raw. “Kyrith, are you alright?”

The dragon turned to face him, his eyes pleading. “Eri’s in pain…”

That got Felix on to his feet, completely ignoring his injuries. “What?”

“I-I don’t know… She won't respond! And she’s crying… I want to go but she–”

Felix took a step away from Zira, stumbling but managing to keep his balance. “Then we’ll go, together.” He said seriously, his throat protesting once again.

Zira lowered herself to the ground. I…can help. Hop on. She sounded hesitant but Felix ignored it for now, they were going to talk it out later.

He staggered his way over to his companion, and with a lot of help, he got situated on top of her.

“Where is she?” He asked while Zira already started making her way to the entrance.

The dragon whined again. “I’m not–” He bolted out the door.

After him! Don’t worry about me! Felix shouted through their bond but he didn’t have to, Zira was already picking up speed.

He held tight to the few tiny spines that Zira had, wincing with every step. He began sucking as much mana as he could to fuel his own healing, but it was still painfully slow.

They passed by two elves, but between the pain and the speed, he could not make out who they were. He ignored them, and focused on stabilizing himself. With a quick shift in his seat, he found a slightly more comfortable spot.

Meanwhile, up ahead, Kyrith was racing towards the manor, angling to its side. Zira, herself, was giving it all to keep up with him. She might have been older, but Kyrith had more muscle and speed–

Suddenly, he flared his wings out and with a single mighty beat, lifted off the ground.

Shit!

I can’t fly with you! Zira shouted.

Felix closed his eyes and sucked in a breath as she quickened her pace. We’ve got to follow him!

His mind raced, searching for a possible solution to their predicament. The easiest solution was to find Aluin, but the Sage was still recuperating and they had no idea where Eri was. Not to mention she’s hurt… We got to back them up.

He discarded it.

And thought.

An idea formed. A stupid, harebrained idea…

Go as fast as you can! I’m going to do something stupid!

He could hear Zira argue, but pushed it from his mind. He needed to focus, and that was already a challenge with his bruised ribs…

With a single breath, he ended his healing. A moment later, he dug deep into himself, searching for the core of his mana, his soul. He was going to need a lot of it for what he planned on doing…

There you are. He reached out, and grasped the core tight. He squeezed, feeling the power from it trying to resist him. He squeezed harder–

Mana exploded through him, around him. But he was not done. He focused it, even as his body began to heat up. Then with every ounce of strength he could muster, he slammed his hand down onto Zira.

FLY!

An instant later, he felt her leap followed by the distinct sound of her wings flaring out. And Just like that, he opened his eyes and gaped.

They were climbing, fast. The wind whipped past him, stinging his eyes and battering his clothes.

The two of them were speeding off towards a speck in the sky. It grew larger as they closed the distance…

Kyrith…

However, before they could reach the dragon, he quickly dove.

Felix felt his stomach churn as Zira stalled before following the other dragon in.

A muted yell escaped his mouth, barely audible over the wind. It was a rush.

That is, until he started slipping off of her.

Panic made him grab tightly around her neck and hold on for dear life. His butt lifted from his seat, his feat dangled uselessly as they made for the trees.

Then they were through.

They crashed through the canopy of the sky trees, their branches smacking into them. Felix didn’t dare let go, and tried his best to bury his head in between her shoulder blades. Her spines dug hard into him.

Then, before he could blink, they landed. Or, more aptly, they crashed into the ground…

Eri buried her head into her knees and sobbed.

After the revelation from her Master, she had to leave, she had to go. So, she ran. She ran wild, she ran without direction. It was stupid, it was dangerous, but she just had to…go.

She could hear, feel Kyrith’s pleas but she was too distraught to respond…

“Oh? What seems to be the problem with you?” A voice called out from high above her.

Startled, she let out a gasp and looked up. A familiar woman fell gracefully from a tree, landing without effort in front of her.

Ithea straightened out her dress and gave Eri her signature icy smile.

Eri turned away from her. “Leave me be.”

“Hmm? Trouble in paradise? Did Felix say something–”

“NO! Just…leave me alone.” She buried her head back into her knees.

She heard movement as the woman suddenly sat down next to her. “Well, unfortunately, I need to talk with you… I suppose I could help you, if you help me.”

DAMN IT ALL! Eri felt rage boil deep inside her. She just wanted to be left alone, she had no care for the cruel woman next to her.

“Tell me, what’s–”

“FINE!” She yelled, cutting Ithea off. She looked up, her face screwed up in anger. “Aluin said I was not fit to be a Sage! There, are you happy?”

Ithea cocked an eyebrow at that. “That’s it? You can’t be a Sage–”

Eri jumped to her feet, her mana flaring in uncontrolled rage. It didn’t last long.

The air around them grew cold, faster than her mana could keep up.

“Oh please… Calm your temper. I said I would help you, didn’t I?” Ithea waved her hand dismissively. “Tell me though, why did you want to be a Sage?”

“Because! I–” Eri froze. Why did I want to become a sage? That question struck her at her very core. Strength… It was because I wanted strength.

In the beginning it had been to become powerful, to become strong enough to fight. But it had changed, especially after spending time with Aluin. She had wanted to become strong enough to protect.

But was that the right answer? She pondered to herself. What was it that Aluin– Master Aluin did?

Ithea cleared her throat, getting Eri’s attention. “So? What was it?”

Eri bit her lip and muttered her answer. “Strength–”

Ithea burst out laughing. “That’s it?! That’s why you wanted to become a Sage?!” The woman shook her head in disbelief. “Why would that hermit ever take you as an apprentice then–” Ithea’s eyes widened.

“Ah… I see now.”

Eri watched her become much more serious. “What?” she asked hesitantly.

The woman patted at the ground next to her. “Sit.”

With a gulp, Eri sat down next to her. “What–”

“Ever heard of the legend of the Risen Queen?”

“No–”

The sound of crashing trees and thundering feet interrupted them.

ERI!

“ERI!”