"Are you somehow an oracle?" I blurted out, unable to contain my astonishment. "How can someone like me, a mere... a trash collector, become an ardent leader?"
She coughed again, a harsh sound that seemed to tear through her fragile frame, and she clenched the back of the sofa for support. The pain etched on her face was palpable, and it pained me to witness her suffering. Her response came between labored breaths, determined yet burdened. "I see what I see. If it doesn't come to pass, it will be my failure," she managed to say through gritted teeth.
Confusion mingled with concern as I watched a trickle of silvery tears roll down her cheeks. The lore of our land spoke of the value of a royal elf's tears and sweat – worth their weight in silver, they said, while their blood was worth its weight in gold.
"Why are you crying?" I inquired, my voice a mixture of curiosity and compassion.
"For the plight of Springgan's downtrodden," she sobbed, the weight of her intentions heavy in her voice. "The gift I possess, it might all go to waste." Her frustration was palpable, the sorrow for a future that might never be realized.
But then she looked at me, her tear-filled eyes locking onto mine. "And then I saw you, Idrish," she whispered through her tears, a hint of awe in her voice. "I saw the light within you."
Her hand extended towards me, and instinctively, I placed mine in hers. The silence that settled between us was loaded, pregnant with the weight of what had transpired. It was as if some ethereal connection had been established, a path laid out before us.
A glimmer caught my eye, a back-and-forth flash of gold that outlined the form of a gauntlet. The veins in my wrist tingled, as though threads of electricity were touching my skin. A surge of discomfort shot through my hand, almost prompting me to pull away. But before I could react, her grip tightened, our hands now intertwined by something far more potent than flesh and bone.
I could feel the electricity coursing between us, a shocking revelation that left me momentarily paralyzed. The impulse to scream was strong, but the sight before me silenced my voice. The royal elven woman, tears still streaming down her face, now cried in silvery streaks of tears and golden drops of blood. A fragile smile touched her lips, her words both an explanation and a promise. "I am here but for a moment. The stars themselves guided me to this juncture. Soon, you will understand why I had to do this."
And then, as quickly as it had begun, I watched in awe and terror as her form disintegrated into a cascade of golden dust. She descended from the realm of the elves, leaving behind the corporeal and the familiar.
My heart raced, anxiety skyrocketing as I tried to process the weight of what had transpired. The sensation in my hands was foreign yet undeniable. I examined my palms, half-expecting to find something tangible there, but there was nothing. And yet, it felt as if an intangible weight – a responsibility, a destiny – had settled onto my very skin.
There was something, something profound, that had been passed on to me in that electric touch. As I stood there, hands outstretched, I knew that the path ahead was forever altered. The unknown beckoned, and the revelation left me both awestruck and apprehensive.
***
I had thought that sleep would evade me that night, considering the torrent of events that had transpired. Yet, exhaustion proved to be a formidable adversary, and before I knew it, I was succumbing to its embrace. It was as though the night's tumult had taken its toll on both body and mind, leaving me vulnerable to the pull of slumber. And so, I found myself ensnared in its clutches, whisked away to a dream that unfurled the tapestry of my imagination in its purest form.
"The queen has departed, sister!" Cali's voice pierced through the room, a shrill note of alarm. I registered her frantic movements as she scanned our surroundings, a mix of trepidation and bewilderment etched across her features.
In the aftermath of it all, the golden blaze and fiery departure of the enigmatic elven woman remained vivid in my mind. Her life had ebbed away during the night, leaving behind an irrevocable void. Yet, I couldn't bring myself to disclose the truth to Cali or Poras. Their young hearts were already burdened by the weight of the night's revelations, and adding to their distress was unthinkable. They were innocent, unprepared for the perilous dance of power and deception that characterized the realm of elves.
A commitment had been forged within me.
"Idrish, these royals are deceptive, not to be trusted. They've already duped us once!" Poras's voice, emanating from the kitchen, was accompanied by the clinking of dishes being cleaned.
"She departed at dawn, Poras. Her presence here was a risk to us as much as it was to her," I offered, weaving a fabric of falsehoods to assuage their concerns. There were truths that couldn't be spoken, truths that would only sow seeds of fear. It was a small deception, a white lie in the grand scheme of things. My siblings deserved to live their lives without being ensnared in the machinations of elven politics. I couldn't allow them to follow the same tragic path that had consumed our parents.
Their acceptance of my words was palpable, and I rose from my seat with a sense of urgency. My hands still bore the weight of the previous night's encounter, a tangible reminder of the events that had unfolded. Anxiety clawed at me, intensified by the indelible impression the Royal Stranger had left on me. Her departure, a transformation into shimmering golden dust, haunted me.
With a resolute mindset, I glanced at my hands, expecting to see the lingering radiance. The days ahead would unfold the mysteries woven by the elven woman's touch. What remained paramount was my siblings' safety amidst the tempest that had been unleashed.
"Will you be embarking on a hunt today, Idrish?" Cali's voice jolted me from my reverie, her gaze fixed on me as she busied herself tidying the remnants of the previous night. The golden stains clung to the fabric, a testament to the fantastical encounter.
I offered a nod, my attention drawn to my younger sister. A tender smile touched my lips as she tossed a used cloth into the fire, the flames eagerly consuming any traces of the elusive golden liquid. Much needed to be done, to cleanse our abode of the lingering presence of the elven royals. The residue of their existence had to be erased. It was knowledge too dangerous for the world beyond our walls.
And then, a shift in the atmosphere caught me off guard.
An undercurrent of urgency surged within me, a stark reminder that danger lurked in the shadows. A tracker, a possible stalker, had trailed us since the prior night. Tales had spoken of elven warriors bearing distinct emblems that could identify their targets, regardless of rank. The danger was real, its proximity alarming.
Suppressing the panic that threatened to engulf me, I donned a pair of daggers, slipped into my sturdy coat, and pulled on the woolen beanie my mother had lovingly crafted. Once equipped, I turned to Cali, whose observant eyes had been fixed on my preparations.
A gnawing sensation settled in my chest, a realization that the impending danger was imminent. My breath trembled, and a sense of foreboding tightened its grip. The weight of my responsibility pressed upon me, a burden too immense to bear alone. I couldn't allow my siblings to shoulder this alone.
A commitment had been forged within me.
"Sister, what's the matter?" Cali's voice quivered with concern, her almond-shaped eyes reflecting her worry as she watched my actions.
Summoning all my strength, I projected an air of calm, concealing the tempest within. I knelt before her, pulling her into an embrace that spoke volumes – of unspoken fears, of unwavering love, of an unspoken promise to return unscathed.
"I know there are things I cannot tell you, but promise me you'll come back safe," Cali's plea hung in the air, the weight of her hope and fear tangible.
Unspoken words lingered between us, a silent understanding that certain truths couldn't be shared. Her gaze sought assurance, a plea for a promise that I would overcome whatever trials awaited me.
Summoning a fleeting smile, I enfolded her in a tight hug, my heart aching with both fear and resolve. As I released her, I turned my attention to Poras, whose watchful eyes held a mixture of confusion, doubt, and questions.
"Leaving so early, eh?" The question carried a tone of reassurance, a subtle acknowledgement that my actions were driven by necessity rather than whimsy. But the concern that flitted across Poras's gaze, landing on the blood-stained rags, was unmistakable.
This could potentially be our last interaction. The gravity of the situation settled upon me, and a shiver coursed through my veins. The royal emissaries of the Tenth Realm could very well uncover my deception and condemn me to a dire fate. Luck was not on my side, and facing an army of elven warriors would be suicide for someone of my station. An unranked commoner like me stood little chance against their might.
With a forced smile, I wiped away my tears, not wanting Poras to witness my vulnerability. I noted that I needn't worry about Cali – her resilience was evident. But Poras, with his unwavering sense of responsibility, was likely mulling over the risks that awaited me beyond our home. I felt the unspoken tension, the words that hung suspended between us.
Poras's eyes, laden with understanding, averted from my gaze. The weight of the circumstances bore heavily upon him, a burden shared in unspoken solidarity. The air was charged with an unutterable tension as he grappled with the ramifications of my departure. He was keenly aware of the risks that loomed, the dangers that threatened to encroach upon my journey. He saw through the veneer of my actions, recognizing that my choices were woven with a deep concern for their safety.
Then, as if surrendering to the weight of his emotions, Poras's sigh exhaled the weight of the unspoken words that lingered between us. In an instant, his arms engulfed me in a bear hug, a testament to the bond that had shaped our lives. His towering presence loomed above me, a stalwart pillar of support, and in his embrace, I found solace, fleeting yet profound.
My voice, steadied by a resolve born of necessity, broke through the charged silence. "I'm sorry, Poras… I am such a mess," I admitted, my confession tinged with both vulnerability and strength. As he brushed away the tears that glistened in his eyes, his voice, strained and cracked with emotion, vowed, "Drish, I've got her covered. To put it simply, live. Until you return, we will wait here."
The promise, heavy with unspoken sentiments, resonated within me. I released a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding, a mixture of gratitude and reassurance settling in my chest. "Wipe everything that has the scent of her. Stay safe," I whispered, my words carrying a final plea to safeguard my siblings from the perils that lay ahead.
As Poras reluctantly released me from his embrace, a sense of urgency propelled me forward. Cali's voice, faint yet haunting, seemed to linger in the air, a somber premonition of impending doom. With a heart heavy with eighteen years of memories, hopes, and tears, I cast one last look at the sanctuary that had been our home.
The uncertainty of my return gnawed at me. The snowstorm that greeted me on my departure seemed a cruel reflection of the turmoil that raged within. The biting cold pierced my skin, a reminder of the challenges that awaited beyond our haven. Determination coursed through me as I navigated the path that had led me to the elven woods, where fate had intertwined my destiny with the enigmatic elven king.
The landscape unfolded before me, marked by the same metal trap that had captured my attention the previous day. Snow blanketed the terrain, obscuring any signs of elven presence. Instinctively, I closed my eyes, attuning my senses to the howling wind. The melody of its whistling was the only sound that reached my ears, devoid of any traces of human or animal movement. The tracks of domestic bears or wolves, once ominous signs, were conspicuously absent.
There was hope, a fragile lifeline suspended within the storm.
With a composed resolve, I tore apart the rag that had been touched by the mysterious woman, the remnants of her enigmatic departure. I fashioned makeshift markers, fragments of bleeding cloth, deliberately placed further south from the metal trap. An intricate dance to deceive the tracker, every ten meters a testament to my determination.
Five kilometers southward I journeyed, ten kilometers away from the dwelling that harbored my beloved siblings. A distance carved by intention, a testament to the lengths I would go to shield them from the turmoil that threatened our lives. I settled in the shadow of a colossal boulder, the last bloodied cloth a distant marker in my mind.
Leaning against the unyielding stone, I drew in deep breaths, my eyes shut against the world. Weakness and fatigue clung to my limbs, a reflection of the emotional and physical battles that had been waged within me. A gnawing hunger gnashed at my stomach, an empty reminder of the vulnerability that lurked beneath my facade.
It was in that moment that I allowed myself a fleeting slumber, a respite from the ceaseless turmoil. Beneath the watchful embrace of the boulder, I surrendered to the lull of sleep, my mind a canvas upon which dreams painted their vivid tapestries. In the dream's embrace, the elven monarch crumbled and dissipated, an ephemeral vision of power rendered fragile by fate.
Time became elusive as I surrendered to sleep's grasp, unaware of the passage of minutes or hours. It was a rude awakening that jerked me back to consciousness – the cold metal of a blade pressed beneath my chin. Instinct propelled my body into action, evading the threat, protecting my vulnerable neck. My training responded with reflexive precision.
Silver flashed in my vision, a blade poised with lethal intent. In an instant, I wrestled it from my attacker's grasp, the raw power behind the move tearing through the gloves that guarded my hands. A testament to the sharpness of the elven weapon and the potency of my own resolve.
Eyes darting, I assessed my surroundings – ten elven warriors poised for bloodshed. The odds were insurmountable, but I was not one to yield easily. As my body sprang into action, my trained instincts took over. A swift, horizontal kick dispatched an adversary, their form crumpling to the ground.
The stakes escalated, tension crackling in the air. Amid the chaos, my voice cut through, a warning to the disoriented warriors. The blade I held to one's neck signaled my intention to strike if provoked. The standoff was tense, their confusion palpable.
"She got one of us!" a cry erupted, an admission of vulnerability and surprise. The warrior before me clutched a bow, poised to unleash an arrow aimed at my heart.
"She's no ordinary commoner. She's fast and strong. Dune, are you okay?" Amidst the chaos, an elven voice of reason sought reassurance for their fallen comrade.
A moment of tactical advantage presented itself. My strategy was simple – create a diversion, sow discord among their ranks. And so, I seized the opportunity, my words a desperate gambit to manipulate their choices.
"Dune will die if you don't move one hundred meters away!" My voice carried a note of urgency, the promise of imminent danger to one of their own. The elven warriors hesitated, uncertain how to navigate the threat I posed.
A voice, laced with boredom and sadistic intent, pierced the tumult. "Then kill Dune!" The words were a chilling decree, an endorsement of violence that jolted me into realization. My ploy had failed; my life was forfeit.
In that moment of reckoning, I made my choice. The warrior before me, their life hanging in the balance, had become my shield. A desperate act, a calculated gamble to ensure an equal exchange. If death was to be my fate, it would come at the hands of a warrior of equal standing.
With my grip on the dagger tightening, I prepared for the inevitable clash, a surge of determination igniting within me. And yet, before I could act, agony seared through me. An electric shock, unprecedented in its intensity, coursed through my spine. The pain was incomprehensible, reducing my body to a trembling vessel of suffering. Numbness crept, strength waned, and in that instant, the battle was lost.
As the world dimmed, a feeble light filtered through, and the names of my beloved siblings tumbled from my lips like whispered prayers. Cali... Poras... Darkness enveloped me, a shroud of finality descending as my consciousness waned.