The Lightbearer's Gift

It took a little over five hours to reach the edge of Isran. I was about 10,000 feet in the air, and from what I can see the forest stretched on infinitely. The tree canopy was so dense that I couldn’t see the forest floor. The trees themselves were massive, some reaching hundreds of feet into the air. I had largely memorized the map of the continent, so it was easy to navigate using the sun and landmarks. But with the forest there were none, or at the very least none that were on the map. Even after roughly a hundred miles into elven territory, there was nothing to be seen, just endless trees. So, Taybor it is.

Taybor was the only human settlement within 50 miles from the edge of the forest. So, if I was going to find any elves, or at least attract elven attention, it would be there. A man named Kent was the headman, also Denerif’s source of information. I would speak to him, perhaps he would have ideas. I flew along the edge of the forest for a quarter hour before I spotted the small settlement.

It was little more than a small village with a wooden palisade. There were around 30 homes and a few larger buildings that were likely inns or warehouses. From what I knew only tradesmen lived in this town. I passed directly overhead noting that it was only slightly larger than Baelathor’s wingspan. A few people where entering the village on foot and as soon as they saw me it became a mad dash.

I banked around to the entrance for a landing outside the town. I assembled my amplifier and recast radiant carapace. Even though I was a few hundred feet away I could see men on the walls nocking arrows. There was no point in carrying the elven sword anymore, so I kept it in one of Baelathor’s large saddlebags.

“Say outside the city until I order otherwise.” I said to Baelathor. He chuffed and laid down to bask in the morning sun. He was a lazy beast at times.

After adjusting my armor, I climbed down the collar and made my way to the town. I walked along the dirt path to the gate, which was closed. A few men were aiming bows at me. They wore little more than randomly colored gambesons and leather trousers.

“State your business elf.” One man shouted down at me.

“I’m here to see Kent, open the gate. If I intended harm this village would be little more than rubble.”

“The headman ain’t seeing no one and we got no word of elves comin.” The man said.

I had to say I was impressed; one would think the gigantic monster sitting outside the town would be enough for them to give me what I wanted. But some people were that stupid. I held up my left hand, cast an air blast and blew apart the main gate. It wasn’t particularly strong, just enough to allow me to enter. Men dove to the ground. Some arrows were fired at me but most missed and one bounced off my shield. I walked calmly into the main square of the town. I was met with over a dozen guards all in poor armor. Other than the men, the streets were barren.

“Stand down, stand down.” A voice from behind them shouted. The terrified men sheathed their swords.

A young man elbowed his way through the line of guards. He was decently dressed, In a fine red tunic with short cut brown hair and a hairless face.

He came over to me, eyeing the glowing staff and with a respectful bow said. “My apologies Lord Moon, I didn’t know you were arriving.”

He made a small gesture to the rest of the men behind him and they followed suit, bowing to me. Satisfied that there was no point in terrorizing them anymore, I disassembled my staff and placed it in my carrying case. Everyone seemed to take that as the danger passing.

“It's fine Kent, I’m sure you know why I’m here.” I said.

“Yes, my lord.”

I could see humans in simple wooden houses looking through windows and cracked doors, cowering in fear of what might be happening.

“Do you have a place we can talk privately?”

“Yes, my lord, we can talk in my home.”

“Lead the way.” I said.

The streets were lined with abandoned stalls, some with fresh produce or other simple goods. I suppose everyone fled inside the many wooden buildings.

At the top of his voice Kent shouted. “It’s alright everyone. It was a simple misunderstanding. No danger will befall anyone.”

At his proclamation, a few humans started exiting the buildings and a few minutes later we entered a two storied wooden home. He opened the door for me. It was decently furnished, with furniture made more for longevity and comfort than beauty. As soon as we walked through the door we were met by a heavily pregnant black-haired woman, in a simple yellow dress.

“Darlah my dear, this is Lord Moon,” he said awkwardly.

She looked me up and down as if she recognized me. “The Lightbearer?”

“The same.” I said to her.

Then I turned my attention to Kent. “Let’s talk.”

“Yes. Uuhhh, Darla fetch us a meal would you. Perhaps we can speak in my study.”

His study was little more than a small room with a desk stacked high with papers. I took a seat in front of his desk, and we began to talk.

“I have heard that elves come to this town for trade, yet I have not seen any.” I said.

“Yes, my lord, however they only come once every few days and leave within the hour.”

“Do you have an idea on when they will arrive again?” I asked.

“They are likely due tomorrow. They usually arrive as soon as the sun rises.”

“Any names worth knowing.”

“They don’t give names, they just come with products. Furs, jewelry, cloth, amongst other things. The merchants buy everything up and sell it south for a profit. Though I was able to determine that most of the elves are from clan Aelv’oth. Since the rest consider it beneath them to trade with humans.”

“Ah, so that explains their wealth.” I said remembering Denerif’s words about clan Aelv’oth.

“Quite so.”

His wife came in with two bowls of stew and fresh bread. She stood off to once side as if waiting for a command. I signaled her to leave. It was disrespectful to dismiss a man’s wife in his own home, but I didn’t care about pleasantries.

“Tell me all about the trade with the elves and what they usually ask in return. Also, I need a place to sleep. Are there any Inns?”

“I have a guest room upstairs, much better than any inn in Taybor. It would be my honor to house you for the night.”

I shrugged. “Very well, my thanks for the consideration.”

We spent the next two hours discussing the trade with the elves. Everything from how the town began, to how profitable it was to sell elven made items in the southern duchies. They almost exclusively asked for gold or rare metals in return. With so many traders coming and going, a small town sprang up with humans offering goods and services to the tradesmen.

My room was small but comfortable. It had a small bed and a desk. The bed itself was soft and the pillows were stuffed with feathers. What it lacked in opulence it made up for in comfort. I looked out the small window at the town. The sun was down and most of the humans were heading to their homes for the night.

I stared out the window for an hour, my thoughts constantly churning about what to do before I noticed a shift in the ether. Flipping my sight into the ether I noticed a singular elf standing in the street, staring at me through the window. I shrugged, opened it, and sat on my bed, waiting. A minute later there was another small pulse and the elf climbed through. She made a small movement with her hand and some kind of barrier formed around us.

Then Endali deactivated her cloak.

“Nice to see you again Endali, you came faster than I expected. What is this barrier?” I said shifting my gaze out of the ether. She looked the same as when I last saw her. The barrier itself was invisible outside the ether.

“It blocks sound. And I have been waiting for your arrival.” She said.

“Since you expected me to turn up here. You must know what I want.”

She didn’t speak to me as if I was a child anymore, so it was reasonable to assume she was finally learning. “Yes, but I must know more. How much blood will satisfy your desire.”

“I want the heads of every elf involved. Especially the matriarchs. None will walk away from this.” I said calmly.

“It seems Sianna was right.” She said to herself.

“About what?”

“You will not stop until everyone is dead.” She didn’t seem to have any real emotion on the matter.

“That much is obvious to anyone who knows me. Now I have to ask, are you an ally in my cause or an enemy.”

She gave me a long searching look then said. “That is for Sianna to decide. It is her I serve. If your apprentice was an elf, then most would see you as justified. But with her being a human, none would agree with you taking the lives of anyone involved, much less a matriarch. However, those matriarchs were guilty of trying to kill you, so a dual to the death with the matriarchs responsible can be arranged. Once the dual is completed then the dept is settled.”

Of course. That is how the elves would view Benny’s death. She was just a human to them.

“Is this your words or the queen’s?”

“It is both. Much thought was given to how to maintain stability while still exacting justice.” Endali said.

“So, let me get this straight. Since my apprentice was a lowly human, she does not deserve justice?” I asked.

She looked almost ashamed to say. “In the eyes of the matriarchs no. the only justice they would approve of is the slight against you.”

“Does your queen share this view?”

She was silent for a few seconds before she answered. “Given the fragility of the elven coalition she would side with the matriarchs on their decision about Benny. The deaths of the attackers would be sufficient justice in their eyes.”

I laughed; a full belly laugh that lasted for a minute. Endali seemed surprised but said nothing as I calmed down.

“Elven hubris is impressive.” I said in English. Edali’s ears twitched at the unfamiliar language.

I used telekinesis to bring over my amplifier case and pulled out the parchment with the list of suspects. Then I handed it to Endali.

“These are all the names my people have managed to compile about who was involved. How accurate is it?”

Endali looked it over for a minute then said. “There are a few more names to add, but it is quite accurate.”

“I’ll offer an alternative, since you damn elves don’t understand me. I will take the heads of everyone involved and the heads of anyone who tries to stop me. If you do not help me, I will torture the information out of any elf I can find. If I don’t get the information, then I will burn that forest to the ground. It will take weeks, but I’m willing. You dare stand in front of me and tell me the death of my apprentice is not worth justice. The only thing you have accomplished here is proving that no elf can be trusted, especially your queen. “

I wanted to make it clear that I was not a lightweight. So, I decided to do something I haven’t done in a long time and started to gather ether in my chest similar to when I try to cast daylight. I gathered a truly monstrous amount of ether, more than any master level spell. Endali, I knew could feel the power gathering. It was enough to turn the entirety of Taybor into a molten ruin ten times over.

A shiver ran through Endali, and her eyes widened as she realized that the power didn’t stop growing. Her breathing quickened and a small bead of sweat ran down her brow.

“Did you really think I would agree to this token gesture? This insult? Is elven arrogance so vast that it blinds your common sense? Did you think that etheric beast was created without purpose?” I really considered killing her in that moment.

“Perhaps I spoke in haste.” She forced out, as if she could barely breath.

She took a deep breath and continued. “Before you do anything rash would you be willing to speak to the Queen.”

“What difference would that make?” I asked.

“In extreme cases an entire clan can be exiled for the crimes of the matriarch. It is difficult to convince the other matriarchs, but it is possible. That will guarantee all involved will be avenged.”

Now that was decent, but I still wasn’t satisfied. First, she insults me with this token gesture. Now I must wait for permission to exact justice.

Nonsense.

“No, I will do nothing on your terms. Let all the clans see me as an enemy then, for I will not ask for permission to avenge my apprentice. Its best if you…”

Endali fell to her knees, her head touching the floor. It was such a surprising move that I cut off my speech mid-sentence. I didn’t really know how to respond to this.

“Before you do anything I beg of you to speak to the queen. One day is all I ask.” She didn’t raise her head.

Endali was antient by human standards. The elven coalition was a matriarchy and male weren’t expected to speak or act above a female. But here was a matriarch bowing to a male who most considers to be a child. It must shame her to her core to be reduced to this.

I enjoyed it immensely. But I had to consider the best approach here. What do I really gain from indiscriminate killing and what do I stand to lose. I couldn't let my apprentice’s death go unanswered, nor would my pride allow me to take vengeance on their terms. Then there were my other ambitions to consider.

I thought about it for a few moments, considering every possible angle. Then settled on a decision. If they can provide me with the heads of everyone involved, then I would not slaughter them by the thousands. In the end it will be their choice. But I needed something more, something to justify seeking vengeance on their terms. I'll let her twist in the wind for a time, no point in letting the fear I had created be for nothing. I dissipated the energy within my body, and I could see the tension in Endali easing.

“Rise.” I said.

Endali stood a released a breath she was holding.

“Where is your queen?” I asked.

“A week’s travel by sur'an.”

“Sur'an?” I asked.

“Deer.”

So, elves travel by deer? No thank you.

“Do you think you can navigate to her by the sky?” I asked.

“On your mount? Easily.”

“I can cross the forest from the east coast to the west in eight hours. How long do you think it would take to reach your queen?”

She did some metal calculation. “Two hours at most.”

“Very well let's go.”

“You have the gratitude of clan Noct’hrum, for the generosity you have shown today." Endali said with a bow, sounding genuine. Then she glanced about the room with a curious expression.

"Do you wish to inform your host of your departure?”

A looked at her curiously, “Why would I?”

Endali shrugged, came over to me and placed a finger on my armor. I felt a pulse of ether flow over me but little else. From the ether I could see the spell flowing around me. I could break it with a little will. Then she opened the window and leapt out, falling two stories without so much as a roll to halt her landing.

“Go ahead, leap.” Endali said to me in a low whisper.

I shrugged, grabbed my things, tossed 50 gelding from my coin purse on a small table and leapt out the window. The instant I was airborne my weight decreased, and I fell to the ground much slower than normal. As soon as I made contact my weight returned.

“Interesting magic.” I said.

“Oh, that is nothing.” She touched my chest once more and another pulse of ether flowed through me.

“Follow as fast as you can.” Then she sprinted off towards the gate far faster than normal. I followed her running faster than possible. My feet felt light, it was less running, more massive leaps alternating from one foot to the other. Once I got the hang of it, I could sprint as fast as a galloping horse. Then Endali leapt over the 15 feet tall palisade. Trusting that whatever magic would work for me I leapt. Flying over the palisade I overshot it by at least 5 feet and landed in a crash on the other side. But again, while airborne my weight wasn’t as large, so the impact barely even phased me.

Endali chuckled as I got to my feet. “It does take some practice.”

I dusted my armor off. “Such strange magic, but at least I know how they kept up with my horse.”

“Feather weight in combination with air nullification makes for fast movement.”

Come to think of it I didn’t feel any air while running.

“Interesting, come lets head to Baelathor.”

It took only a minute before we reached the massive sleeping beast.

“Wake up you lazy oaf.” I said in English.

She gave the wyvern a once over, appreciating its size and power.

“It is formidable, and you control it without difficulty?” she asked.

“Yes, though he can be lazy at times.”

Baelathor brought his massive head over examining Endali. He took a few sniffs and brought his massive eyes closer to get a look. Endali pulsed in the ether before it dissipated. I could have told him to stop, but I wanted her to squirm. The fear he inspired was almost primal, not even Endali with her centuries of experience could stop herself from taking a step back when he opened his massive maw.

I climbed up his collar and got a spare harness from his saddle bags.

“Here put this on.” I said, throwing it to her. I mentally commanded Baelathor to stop bothering her.

She quickly figured out what it was and strapped on the harness. She leapt onto the saddle, sat behind me, and figured out where to attach the buckles.

“It is a clever construction.” Edali said while she examined how the collar was attached to Baelathor.

“I’ll pass on the complement. Now are you ready for your first flight.”

She wrapped her arms around me. “Indeed, do impress me.”

I didn’t like how much I enjoyed her voice in my ear. With a mental command Baelathor leapt into the air. His wings flapped violently to gain height. Endali hugged me tightly before she loosened her grip. We climbed rapidly, it was a cloudless night and only one moon was out. The air was chilly but comfortable. While I prefer morning and evening flights, the sky was no less beautiful. I had to take a few moments to appreciate the ocean of stars.

“This is likely your greatest gift, to fly amongst the clouds is a dream.” Endali released me and looked around, absorbing the view as we climbed higher.

“I agree. I’ve flown hundreds of times, yet I never tire of the sight. To go anywhere at any time. It’s a kind of freedom most would never understand. It would take a little over a day to fly from the northern tip of the continent to the south.”

She didn’t speak for several minutes too, absorbed in the sight was we climbed over 5000 feet,

“Is it difficult to create this beast?” she asked.

“Baelathor, yes. Noire not so much.”

I slowed our spiraling accent to give her a few minutes to get used to the feeling of flying. The first flight is always the most jarring. After several minutes she said. “Head north.”

We flew for close to 20 minutes before she made me change direction. I couldn’t understand what she was using to navigate since one massive patch of forest looked the same as another. We flew for over three hours with small corrections in my direction. I suspect that she was purposely extending the journey to spend more time in the air.

“We are close.” She said to me.

I couldn’t see anything, just forest. Then she touched the side of my head and suddenly a castle appeared in the distance. It was similar to Arlathan, just about a fifth the size with only a single tall spire in the center. There was no outer wall, though some of the forest was cleared for gardens. There was a large clear area a small distance away from the castle where Baelathor could land. It was almost a perfect circle.

“I suppose I should land there” I said to Endali.

“Yes, it is a training area, and it appears no one is currently using it.”

“It will be a tight landing.”

Baelathor flew low, brushing against the tree canopy before snapping his wings out, slowing his speed and dropping a hundred feet to the ground. A 2000-ton creature falling from even a small height sounded like an explosion. The training area was only slightly larger than he was in terms of length.

“Good boy. As a treat we'll head out to coast for you to get some whales.” I said to Baelathor.

Endali chuckled. “You treat this monster as a pet.”

Baelathor chuffed in offence. “Don’t mind her, she just doesn’t understand you like I do.”

Sensing that spells she used were still active, I unlatched myself and leapt off Baelathor. I was beginning to enjoy not worrying about gravity. Endali did the same. It was then I sensed the hundreds of elves emerging from the trees. Males, females, young, old, one female was carrying an elven baby. It had funny looking floppy ears and was smaller than a human baby by about a third. I was struck by the strange sight. They wore simple robes of the same dark blue as Endali’s armor.

Their eyes flicked from me to Baelathor constantly.

“Moon, may I introduce most of clan Noct’hrum.” Endali said. Every elf bowed, even the ones holding children.

“Greetings.” I said casually.

“So, what now.” I whispered to Endali, not entirely comfortable with the hundreds of unblinking eyes trained on me.

Endali said something to them and many of them chuckled. Then they started to disperse, leaving only a few behind, one of which I recognized.

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t my dear old friend Lilian. It's good to see you again.” I said with genuine joy. Mostly because she was a familiar face.

She had a small smile on her face as she said. “It is good to see you as well.”

The other two elves I didn’t recognize.

“This is my daughter and heir Leithani and my son Numar.” Endali said.

They both had the same red hair and dark green eyes as Endali. They were practically twins since the robes the elves wore didn’t emphasize their gender. It would be impossible to tell which was which, but somehow, I intrinsically knew.

“Greetings Moon, it is a pleasure to have your acquaintance.” They said in unison. Their imperial common sounded overly formal, as if they were still learning.

Elves didn’t shake hands, so I didn’t really know where to go from here. So, I turned my attention back to Lilian.

“So, I'm finally in elven lands, mind showing me around?” Everyone shared awkward glances at each other. I rolled my eyes and waited for them to figure out what ever was the problem.

“I shall. Lilian will accompany us.” Endali said.

The siblings gave Lilian a tense stare before a word from Endali in elven cut off whatever was happening.

I shrugged, not really caring. Then Endali offered me her elbow, I shrugged again and wrapped an arm around. We headed to the small castle, passing through a thicket of trees before exiting into the gardens.

Elves watched us the entire time, staying a respectful distance. “So are you curious about what happened with the company.” I asked Lilian.

“No, that is behind me now.” She said a bit too quickly. She was certainly acting strange.

“So, what is life in the clan Noct’hrum like Endali.” I asked.

“It is a simple life. We train our skills and contribute to the protection and safety of elven kind. We specialize in stealth and subterfuge.”

“How is it that you serve the queen?” I asked.

“Our clan always has and always will.” She said cryptically.

“So, you all live in the castle?” I asked.

“Most, however some mated couples choose to live in one of the great oaks or constructed dwellings.”

We passed through the garden and I noticed a few elven children playing. They ran and skipped through the plant sculptures, with more agility and speed that a human could achieve at that age. The sculptures themselves were made of a dense bush that seemed to be grown into various shapes. Some were geometric, others were symbols I couldn't recognize.

The children were odd to look at, some had ears that flopped about as they ran. So, I guess that the cartilage would stiffen as they grow older.

Some elves were practicing sword play while others were modeling plants into varies shapes. It was strange how active they were even though we're in the dead of night. The moon and several magical glowing orbs were the only thing that provided light.

“What are you thinking?” Endali asked me.

“It is strange.” I said honestly.

“These are your people, Moon. It is humans that are strange.” Lilian said.

‘What was the reason for her exile? And how did she return?’ I wondered.

I garnered unending attention and by the time we reached the entrance to the castle, a small crowd was following behind. They chatted and gossiped but none of it I understood. Endali chased them off with a word. They didn’t walk, talk, or act in any way that reminded me of humans. Sometimes they rarely touched each other and other times their greetings were incredibly intimate. I couldn’t make heads or tails of it. Much less that I couldn’t understand the language.

I whistled as we passed into the keep. The doors were open and there were no guards. The walls were high, and I could appreciate the architecture without the unending decoration humans usually had plastered on the walls. It was all seamless smooth white stone. Actually, it reminded me of the stone spheres that the elves used to block my sun spell.

“I don’t understand how this is constructed” I said.

“It is grown using magic” Endali said.

I shrugged, not really surprised.

“So, where is this queen. My anticipation is mounting.”

“She will see you in her rooms.” Endali said, not looking at me.

We walked through the halls, occasionally running to elves who bowed respectfully; we went up several flight of stairs before we reached the highest point in the central tower. Then we stopped in front of the master rooms.

“This is where we must leave you, as the queen wishes to speak to you privately.” Endali bowed and released my arm.

“Very well, Lilian we should catch up after words.”

She didn’t say anything, just bowed, and left, leaving me with Endali and her children. Not exactly the reunion I was expecting.

“Worry not about her, the shame of her exile has yet to pass, but time will heal the wound.” Endali said.

Then she opened the door for me. “Queen Sianna is inside.” Endali said.

I walked in expecting Endali to follow, but the door shut behind me. The first thing I noticed was the books, they lined the walls, numbering in the thousands. And no furniture beyond small cushions and tables which were stacked with books, papers, and scrolls. It was a large circular room with a single window that dominated the view about 150 feet in diameter. A large circle cushion was placed in front of the window and there sat Queen Sianna.

She eyed me as I crossed the room. She wore white robes and looked exactly the same as my dreams. White hair, purple eyes, stunningly beautiful. Perhaps I’m a narcissist, but it was like I was looking in a mirror, just with my gender flipped. Though her eyes tilted a bit more than mine and her ears were slightly larger. But that wasn’t what was most concerning. She was powerful. More powerful than Morianne, perhaps even slightly more powerful than I was. Those large purple eyes tracked me as I crossed the room, unblinking.

Once I reached her, I didn’t really know what to say. She was sitting in the center of the large cushion with several books littered around her.

“It is a pleasure to finally meet you in person.” She said. I had expected a lower voice like Endali and Xalia but hers was a higher pitch, like bird song.

“Likewise, I’ve heard much about you.” I said.

“Would you prefer to sit” she said while gesturing to a clear space in front of her.

“Very well.” I joined her on the cushion.

“So, I am finally here, though not under the best of circumstances.” I said.

“Yes, I would have preferred if you came in friendship, but fate seems a cruel mistress.”

“I suppose, you know what I want. Though Endali seems to think you can convince me otherwise.”

“Blood and Vengeance. A worthy cause for the murder of an apprentice.” She said.

Strange, Endali seemed to suggest that Sianna wouldn’t share this opinion. Was her prostration planned? It’s possible, but the fear I felt from her was real.

“That is my thought. and nothing will sway me from this path. Now unless you have something to convince me otherwise, this meeting will be short and pointless.”

She smiled looking me up and down. I’m not sure how I’m supposed to take that.

“Yes, I believe you could with that beast of yours and the power you clearly wield. However, there is a slight problem.”

“And that is?”

“Without an approval of combat from the matriarchs, the death of Xalia, Boriel and those involved will be seen as murder. As you are still living their deaths would not be equal. This gives the rest freedom to act against you without repercussion.”

I chuckled. “If they are willing to die then let them or are you planning to intervene in a fight against me.”

She held my gaze unwavering. “If I must, then I will. A fight with you would mean the death of thousands. Unlike humans we cannot replace those numbers easily.”

I looked at her from within the ether. Confirming what I already suspected, she was incredibly powerful and fighting her is not a guaranteed victory. But I have no intention of fighting fairly, after all she just revealed a weakness.

“That’s the thing dear queen, I don’t care much about the elves so the death of one or a thousand means little to me. So, if it comes down to it and you all decide to attack me. Baelathor will kill your weak defenseless. How long do you think it will take to break through my barriers as well as my stamina? How many thousands will die to my beast before you can take me down. Worst yet if I die, who will control him.”

A smile started to form across my face as I noticed the smallest twitch in her eyebrow. So, I continued. “A single thought is all it would take, and that beast will go on a rampage.”

I mentally commanded Baelathor. Almost immediately, even from half a mile away, the sound of his roar was deafening. I do hope no one was standing too close.

“I put a lot of effort into making that beast as powerful as possible.”

She gave me a searching look. I was unsure what she was looking for, but I was dead serious.

“How about an alternative, you are known for your deals and never breaking them.” She asked.

The fact that her tactics immediately changed was enough for me to assume that her confidence in her victory against me dropped.

“What exactly can you offer me that I don’t already have or that I can’t simply take.” I was smug, since I couldn’t think of anything that she could offer me nor was a token gesture satisfactory. If I am to limit my vengeance, then I need something of true value in return. Elven magic I suppose but I honestly wasn’t as interested is I was before.

“Your memories.”

I went from arrogant to dead faced as soon as she spoke.

“I have it on reasonable authority that they cannot be recovered.”

She smirked and said. “On who’s authority?”

I suppose I slipped there. I might as well see if she has any information. It’s not as if hiding this information has any real benefit. She was antient, older than the Vendalian empire even. So, if there is anyone in the world who could give me information it would be her.

“Just someone I met once. Tell me. Have you ever heard the term Sea of Souls?”

Her eyes widened, then squinted as if she couldn’t believe what I had just said.

“Some believe it is the barrier between the mortal plane and the afterlife. It is also said to be where all the gods reside, where souls must pass through in death and in birth. Is this where you are from?”

“I don’t know. It is as you suggest. It’s not as if I can trust the source of the information completely. Do you know what corrupted souls are?” I asked.

She looked utterly confused. “No, I’ve never heard the term. I could guess, but it is unlikely to be useful to you.”

I honestly expected her to know. I’m not sure how she would react to the suspicion that I was a human before, so I decided it is best to hold on to that little secret for now.

“How could you recover my memories then?”

“There is a ritual. It pulls the truth from the soul itself. It is as antient as the royal elves themselves. We can live for well over a millennium, remembering things from our youth becomes difficult. Thus, this spell was created. Some memories are etched into your soul. It is also the only way to break a Geas.”

“A what?” I asked, the word was completely unfamiliar to me.

“Some call it a curse, mind control or blessing. It can alter the very nature of what you are, down to you core values. It is not an enchantment spell; your mind is literally rewritten. How it is performed is unknown, but the writ of rejuvenation is the only known spell to break it. I have spent the last six months perfecting the ritual. That is what I assume is upon your mind.”

Is she speaking truth? can my memories truly be recovered from the spell? I couldn’t know for certain.

“What is the extent of the vengeance I can enact if I get approval from the matriarch’s. And what do you stand to gain from this?” Her having this on hand was far too suspicious so this had to be planned. I am clearly being maneuvered.

But my memories.

It was the one thing that could stay my hand.

“You will be able to claim the lives of Xalia and Boriel as well as everyone who participated. I’m sure you have your list as well as proof. Endali has hers, and it should be enough to find guilt. You can either face them yourself or choose a champion. If they refuse, then their entire clan would face exile. In that case you can kill them without their being any reprisals from the matriarchs. As for myself, with the death of so many elves and the problems that have arisen with the empire due to their actions, some of the matriarchs have begun to reach out to me to take control and to parlay with you. In time I can increase my influence towards complete control and finally begin steering my people in the right direction. It is as you said, the past is dead and gone, best to tear it all down and start over.”

It seems my flippant words had a profound impact on her. But would that be a fair reprisal for Benny? I stared at her large purple eyes, wondering if I could best her in magical combat. She is the only one in the world that I have seen who could match me in terms of raw power. What gave me pause was her experience. I have no doubt she could feel my own power, but I had a few years to master my abilities whereas she had centuries.

I could just burn their territories to ruin, but that would be losing out on the possibility of retrieving my memories. Sianna definitely prepared for my arrival. And there is her power to consider. Throughout the entire conversation I couldn’t stop how enthralling it felt. I was lost in the amethyst depths of her eyes. Her words were like music to my ears. I wanted to reach out and caress her soft features. It was a good deal, might as well accept. My desire for her was growing by the moment, it wasn’t fully carnal. It was something else, something deeper. I have never felt so drawn to another individual.

“I will need proof that your ritual will do as you claim and nothing else. If that can be guaranteed, then I will limit my vengeance to only those involved in the crime.” I said, still partially enthralled by her.

At my acquiescence, her smile was beautiful and radiant. It was like the dual moons themselves were bathing me in light. She reached out her hand, caressed my cheek and said in a low voice. “My thanks Moon. I understand the pain of losing one dear to you and how strong the desire is to burn the entire world for their deaths.”

Her touch was comforting, and I unconsciously rested my cheek against her palm. We sat there for a few moments, eyes locked, with the warmth of her hands upon my cheek. It felt safe, like I had finally come home. Soon thoughts of staying with her permanently started to creep into my mind.

‘What is this?’ I thought to myself.

Then suspicion began to bloom within me. Then rage.

I murdered the feelings that were welling up in me, smothering them in their cribs and tossing them into a seldom used corner of my mind. Cold hard reason reasserted itself and that spell she put on me disappeared.

With my left hand I grabbed her wrist with considerable force and asked with barely constrained violence. “What did you just try to do?”

Her warm smile turned into confusion, then amusement.

“You are the source of your own feelings. I have cast no charm upon you, at the very least not on purpose.”

I calmed down slightly and released her hand. She returned it to her lap.

“Explain” I said.

“You are an elf Moon, not a human. At a primal level attraction for humans is based on physical appearance. But for elves it is more. Magical ability and the potential to pass that power unto our offspring is what dives elves, far mor than appearance.”

I suppose that made some sense.

“I’ve never felt this towards anyone, and I’ve met rather powerful mages. What is the difference with you?” I asked.

“You have never met a mage that matched your power; thus, those feelings were at best vestigial. Even naked alone with Lilian’s dagger in your throat. Your power surpassed hers and she could feel it.”

I thought back to Endali and the rest of the other elves that I have met.

“No other elf seem to have this reaction to me.”

“It is just a feeling Moon, not something malicious. Once you know that it exists it is simple to ignore.”

I relaxed, letting the tension ease away and gazed at her face once more. The feeling was there, but it is as she said, I could just ignore it like any other desire.

“My knowledge of elves it quite lacking.” I admitted.

“It will take a day and a half to assemble the ritual, perhaps you can spend the time to learn a bit about your people.”

I’ll have to keep my guard up around the elves. Gods only knows what would have happened if I didn’t restrain myself.

“Very well, I’m sure you have made accommodations.”

“Precisely. Would you care for a drink to celebrate that we avoided needless slaughter.” Alcina said.

I sighed, “A drink sounds lovely.”

She made an odd gesture, and the ether swirled around her hand and pulsed. Not a moment later a young male elf walked in carrying a silver tray with two ornate teacups.

He walked over, handing a cup to each of us then left without saying another word.

The brown steaming liquid had an earthy smell. I took a sip tasting the slightly bitter tea. After a few moments, I took another sip, then three more, not caring about the burn in my throat. An overwhelming feeling of nostalgia came over me and I was lost to the feeling for long moments as I drank in silence.

“By old gods and new! what is this?” I asked, thinking. Coffee! that's what it reminded me of. The favor was different, but the energized feeling that high amounts of caffeine gave you was unmistakable.

“Guyara. It is a drink made from the roasted seed of a fruit of the same name.”

I closed my eyes as I tried to grasp the feeling. I can only assume I drank coffee as much as water in my past life.

“Is this familiar to you?”

“I have certainly drunk something similar, but not the exact same.” I glanced down at my empty glass slightly remorseful that I drank it so quickly.

“Would you like another cup?” she asked with humor in her voice.

“I think I would.” I said, giving her a genuine smile.

Perhaps a day or two with the elves wouldn’t be so terrible and besides, in a few days, I may finally learn who I am.