Chapter 1 - Faelyn
Year 916 after the last ascension
As I stood on the rough sand, I looked towards the waves that crashed onto the beach before me. I was mesmerized by the pushing and pulling of the water that seemed to drop off at the end of the horizon. An horizon which holds so much potential for exploration, for discovery. This was the first time in my life I had seen the ocean. The winds made the trees to the side of us bend a bit backwards and while the sand started to fly a bit I didn't mind it, after all, I wasn't alone.
„Faelyn?" Sylva asked, she had such a silky but powerful voice, which made my heart flutter everytime she said my name, „is everything okay?"
It was more then okay. „Yeah! It's just, beautiful, even if the sand starts to feel like tiny rocks hitting me." Sylva sighed, „Faelyn, that's what it is."
„What is?"
„Sand, Sand is just very tiny pebbles." she looked at me with a small smile and gods did she look pretty.
„What? Isn't sand just… sand?" i actually was confused.
„Faelyn…" she sighed again, „hate to break it to you but that is what sand is."
„No way"
„Yes way, shouldn't you know about rocks, i mean you are a crystalsmith aren't you?" she asked teasingly.
„Elemental Crystals Sylva! Not… sand. You can't use sand as elemental crystals so I didn't study it that much, maybe I should look into it, who knows what sand might hide, aftera-" she cut me off by kissing me. I started blushing. Hard. „W-why did you kiss me just now?"
„Because i wanted to, you are always so cute and defenseless when you go on your tangents!" she said with such a big smile on her face that it warmed my soul.
„I think I should return the favor." i grabbed her by the waist and pulled her in, giving her an even bigger kiss.
„My how daring today, we have more time later for this, why don't we get you into the ocean for the first time now?" she asked, knowing how eager I have waited to finally see the ocean.
„Yeah, let's." I pulled away from her and grabbed one of her hands. Together we walked towards the ocean, where the close we came the winds grew stronger. Not strong to be a bother, but strong enough to feel nice. Weirdly enough the sand hitting my body and especially my face didn't bother me as much as I thought it would. How could it while the Hand I held was that of the woman I wanted to spend all of eternity with. A hand that felt coarse and strong from year long training in swordsmanship.
As we arrived at the shore, a wave crashed and water touched my feet.
„Sylva, this is colder than I expected."
„Well, what in the hells did you expect Faelyn? Didn't one of your books tell you th-" I splashed some water on her and I prepared myself for the revenge that her look of betrayal told me would be brought down upon me as if the Stormlord himself was preparing to strike me down.
„Now you've done it" Sylva said with a seriousness that shaken me to the care. Her muscles seemed to grow a bit, she started 'enhancing' her whole body. As if time slowed down, I first simply saw some droplets and then what looked like a big ball of water flying towards me and again, and again without giving me a chance to even try and put up a fight.
„Okay stop, stop" i yelled with laughter in my throat,
„I yie-" Water found itself into my mouth, forcing me to cough.
„You what? I can't hear you." Sylva said in a mocking voice.
„I yield, i yield!" I yelled louder now, „damnit this water really is salty!"
Sylva laughed, unlike her grandpa it wasn't a loud and bellowing laugh, instead it was a soft and elegant one.
Still in her mocking tone she told me in an extra way
„Once again I have bested my love" she marched as if to look like a noble, prodding infront of his underlings „and once again the Genius of Daelyns Hill stands defeated infront of Sylva, the Waterblade" she posed, unbothered by the waves crashing into her legs.
Of course I knew that in a matter of physical strength I couldn't stand a chance against her, but my ego still took a bit of a hit.
„So, what prize will you ask of me?" as always in our little competitions we always would award the other with a prize or rather a wish to the other person.
„How about a maintenance check on my sword free of charge?" she asked already knowing what I would say.
„Sylva, did I ever charge you for your sword? In all the time I took over maintaining it, did I ever ask for coin?"
„Well, then how about after dinner today, you will follow me, but you can't ask where and for what, that is my prize."
Now I was curious, what in the hells did she plan?
„Alright, but we gotta head back now, Gramps is gonna worry about you."
„About ME?", she almost sounded offended, „Faelyn, I love you with all my heart, but you know for a fact that I can take care of myself much better than you."
„Do you have your sword with you?"
„No? Why would I have my sword with me?"
„So, you don't have the weapon with you that you are the most proficient with, while I do, and you still think that you could protect me more right now?"
„Yes."
„Really?"
„Yes!" she started to sound a bit irritated.
„Fair enough! You are still quite powerful without a sword!" it almost looked like she puffed her chest out a bit to make her body almost look as big as her pride, but the thing is, even that I loved about her.
I kissed her, deep and passionate.
„My, where did that come from?"
„Just felt like it" I said smugly, „we really gotta head back now though, they must be almost done with dinner! But maybe let's not go drenched there."
„Ohh are you using your fancy Mana-art again?"
„Yes, how else could we get dry quickly?"
„Alright, just make sure to use the right one, don't wanna end up fried." I knew she was teasing, but that still made me worried a bit, it's, well, almost impossible to use the wrong one that you actually wanted to use, even for someone with their Mana corrupted by two different elements like me.
I hugged her and pulled her close to me.
Slowly I started manipulating my mana into a mix between 'expulsion' and 'manifestation' as mana started to form outside of my body in the form of a flock of hummingsbirds made out of pure fire. The, let's call it fire-flock, started forming a ring around Sylva and me. I moved the ring upwards and downwards again and again and a warm and cozy feeling replaced the wetness and cool feeling of the fire. I looked deep into Sylva's beautiful emerald eyes, her feminine face with a little dot nose and a scar stretching from her shoulder to the left side of her face only making it more unique and beautiful. At that moment I once again was reminded how pretty she is and how lucky I was to call myself hers. I hope that even when the stars may close their eyes, I could still look for eternity into hers.
„What are you looking at?" she asked me, once again knowing the answer but still wanting to hear it.
„A-at you." stammering those words left my words.
„Dummy~" she said leaned in and now she kissed me.
As I felt my concentration slip from the Mana-Art still around us, I let the ring fade and the fire hummingbirds fly into the air where they faded and vanished into small spark, almost looking like stars raining down on us.
„Seeing your Magic and spells is always so pretty, you gotta show me more my love. Now let's go.", she pulled my arm and we started walking back to camp. Even eternity is too short for the time I wish I had with her and I know that even death won't stop me from loving her.