Aaerynn felt the hand on her shoulder, and looked up to see Tirian’s face full of just as much rage as she felt. He apologized to her and the wood elf shook it off as she returned to her feet. Orcs were plausible. It had been so long since she had traveled through here, she didn’t know any longer what could be growing, what new creatures had invaded and were taking up space. The wolf god’s words were the only thing repeating through her mind. She didn’t know what this was, or who could have pulled it off.
What she could feel however, was pain.
The wood elf walked over to a dead tree and placed her hand on it. The grief was overwhelming, the pain fresh and filling her entire core. The grief of her own and that of the dead ones here were mixing and merging, emptying out her body so only pain remained. She crouched down and touched the ash. The sadness inside her burst open and she could feel the darkness stretch through her core and wrap around her heart. Her chest grew cold and her ribs grew tight. She stiffened as her hand clenched some of the ash with her fingers. The wood elf closed her eyes and she was no longer in the clearing. Instead she was in a field, wrapped up in the arms of a man, whose blue eyes were like the sky and whose dark hair grew long and curled about his face. She could still smell him, and feel his smooth skin against her own. She could hear his voice in her ear, feel the scruff on his chin as he rubbed it against her bare shoulder. She could feel his calloused hands pull her in tighter, holding her safely.
Aaerynn’s body trembled as she stared blankly at the ash. The memory shifted, as it always did, to a different day in front of a wooden farm house. The same man that had held her so fiercely now stood distanced from her. She could see his eyes filled with rage and sadness, his hands gesturing at her, his usually soft voice, loud and overbearing. She could see herself reach out to him with confusion, her hand catching onto his tunic. Then she could feel the way his calloused hands shoved her away, forcing her back with such might that she fell. She could still feel the hard dirt beneath her, and could still hear those words, what had once been love filled, were now wretched. Instead of ‘stay’ it was now ‘leave.’ Instead of love there was hate.
Aaerynn’s breath turned into gasps as her hands clutched at the ash beneath her feet. The memory made its final turn to a dark and cold night. The man now stood in front of her, rugged and aged. There were wrinkles at the corners of his bright eyes, and his beard had filled out. He had been larger then, the years of farm work making his arms and back much more muscular than when he was younger. His eyes were wide with fear, and he ushered her away. His deeper voice was pleading, and urging. Yet she was frozen there, a mix of emotion. She had seen the spear too late, seen the enemies too late in the dim light of the torches. Yet she could still feel the warmth of his blood on her face, as it splattered there and then slowly dripped down her skin. She could still see his body as he lurched forward, and continued to stare at her until his eyes grew cloudy. She could still remember the feelings then, the feelings of love and loss…and bitterness.
Setna and Serna were the last to approach the clearing, and the teenage boy put his arm over his nose as the smell got to him. He looked up at his sister, seeing her pained expression. “Don’t open your eyes ok? I’ll be right back, just stay there!” He told her before entering the clearing himself.
There was nothing left but a mix of bodies, ash and bones. Setna felt his stomach churn as he placed a hand over his mouth. He walked over to Rudolf, as his eyes caught sight of Aaerynn and Tirian. He watched as Rudolf touched some ash and exclaimed, ““Who would dishonor the wood elves in such a way? To cut down and burn their ancestors?”
Setna became confused as he looked at the ash. “Ancestors?”
Rudolf finally noticed him, and the expression on the dwarf’s face was that of grief and sympathy. “The wood elves rarely die, boy. It is said that they can only fall through battle wounds, or through grief and sadness. It is also said that they are born with a seed in their heart, so when they do finally pass on to the next life, their bodies leave behind these trees as a sign of their existence.”
Setna’s gaze immediately went to the trees as he took in Rudolf’s explanation. Rudolf looked up as well. “These trees here are the remains of the ancestors to the wood elves of Furus. For someone to burn them down like this…it is a great disrespect.”
The boy frowned at the information, and ventured forward, watching where he stepped. It was then that he caught onto the conversation going on about what had caused it. Orcs and trolls were passed around, but then Vordan went into a full explanation of something like hell hounds, and all kinds of weird sounding creatures. The boy frowned as he looked down and scuffed some ash with his boot. “Um…isn’t it just as likely that some campfires grew out of control?”
He paused as he put in his two cents on the situation. “I mean…perhaps there was more than one. The group here got attacked by something and then the fire spread? I guess it doesn’t really explain how it was put out though…”
The boy turned quiet and instead looked over at Aaerynn who seemed slightly frozen, crouched down with her hand on the ash. Setna began to approach her, and reached out his hand to put on her shoulder, but like a whip she turned, her hand snatching onto his wrist with a vice like grip. Her eyes looked up at him, clouded and hollow at first. Setna just stood there, his eyes wide and slowly the wood elf seemed to come back to her senses. Her grip loosened and she stood with her back facing him. “What do you want?” Her voice was cold, but it also sounded tired and sad.
The teenager frowned, rubbing his wrist. “Just wanted to see if you were ok…You seem out of it Miss Aaerynn.” The teenager bit his lip. “I mean…I’m sorry, about your ancestors.”
Aaerynn just nodded her head. “I’m fine.” She said it quietly and moved on, heading over to her horse.
Setna watched her, his frown growing as the wood elf buried her face in the mare’s side. Today was just not a good day. Eventually he caught sight of Caelis and Faith, and he made his way over to help dig the shallow grave for the rest of the remains.
As everything was buried and the group was left standing and continuing to try and figure out what happened, Rudolf stood and sighed. “As much as I would like to know what happened as I’m sure the rest of you want to know, I am afraid it is not the purpose of our journey. I am hoping to exit this forest by tomorrow and if we continue to stay here, that will not be an option. So I ask that we continue forward, and try to make sure that we do not fall to the same fate as these travelers.”
Setna’s eyebrows furrowed at the news. It didn’t feel right to just leave this clearing as it was. But the old dwarf had told them the truth; it wasn’t the purpose of their journey. They were being paid to bring supplies to the next continent, they couldn’t tie themselves up here, much like they couldn’t stop for his sister.
It didn’t feel good, but they had to continue forward.
The rest of the day was spent traveling in a somber silence. Everyone seemed slightly unnerved by what they had witnessed earlier, but they were continuing to trudge forward until Rudolf made the motion that they would stop for the night.
The campfire was made with diligence and with an attempt to keep as much of the camp lighted as they could. Hopefully the light would be able to ward off the darkness of the woods.
Instead of distancing herself, Aaerynn sat close to the fire, letting it warm her face as she held herself tightly. The grief was overpowering her, and the memories were reaching out to her from the corners of her mind, begging to be replayed and remembered. Her body was exhausted from the strain, and her mind was fuzzy with pain and sadness. She didn’t care about making sure everyone was far away from her. She didn’t care anymore.
Instead she tried thinking of other things, anything to keep herself distracted from the emptiness slowly consuming her. Her gaze shifted to Red who was busy helping with the fire. He had acted strangely earlier in the clearing. His voice had held rage at the sight of the burnt trees and she couldn’t understand why. The others that knew of the circumstances had been sympathetic and sad, but he had rage in his voice and face. He had been angry. Why?
Aaerynn had obviously never been the type to be observant. Things never came to her easily, mostly because she didn’t care much for others. Years of being on her own made her only observant of her own needs for survival. Things going on for others never came to her attention.
Yet as she thought things over, they usually came into place. For instance, Red had shown an almost inhuman strength. He had sliced through bodies cleanly as if he were cutting through air. That night when she had caught him practicing his archery, he had been slow, but his form was different from usual humans. He had also been mumbling something too… Other than archery, he had been noticeably more agile than the rest. And today, he had shown just as much rage as she had felt.
Aaerynn stood up, wanting to forget her grief and pain, and she approached Red, a theory popping up in her mind. She held one of her arms as she became cautious as she got closer to him. "Can I ask you something?"
Her eyes shifted to the rest of the group. "Perhaps in private?"
It came out as a slow whisper. She didn’t really know what she was doing, but she didn’t care anymore, honestly. She was so tired, she wanted some type of interaction to forget her own pain.
-Tirian had kept to himself after the desecrated land of the elves, only breaking thought at the sound of a certain elf. Her words came out quiet and low and it was obvious this was something that would be important.
"It would depend on what you wanted to ask, but sure I'll humor you. Lead the way."
She walked away from the group a bit, but was wary enough to not edge too forward into the darkness. It was obvious that she was carrying herself differently, as if she were exhausted and full of pain. Her eyes expressed the ages of loneliness that she had lived. Finally she looked at him, her words were soft and uncertain. "You are...different aren't you? A good different I mean...not to be...." She paused, her eyebrows furrowed slightly as she tried to get her words across. "You aren't fully human, are you?"
-Tirian furrowed eyebrows at the question, could he trust this person? This elf that’d shown hate and distrust towards everyone in the group. Tirian knew Aaerynn had been in pain due to the desecrated lands. Elves feel the pains of their ancestors from the afterlife.
"Why should I trust you with that information?"
Aaerynn's eyes shifted back and forth as she tried to think. In all honesty she didn't have a reason. She had shown no evidence of being a trustful person. Really, she just wanted to know to know. She didn’t even know what she was doing. Why had she even bothered with this conversation? She couldn’t really figure it out herself. Perhaps, deep down, she wanted someone that understood how she felt. Perhaps she was just looking to see if he knew what she was going through. The pain that came from having her ancestors desecrated, and knowing there was someone that knew the vast difference between human and elf.
She rubbed her arm, feeling the grief in her chest expand, the loneliness making her chest grow cold and lifeless. Eventually she looked up at him. "I suppose I don't have a reason, besides the fact that I have no one to tell..."
She shrugged her shoulders and looked away. "I just wanted to know...if there were wood elves in your lands like there are in Furus...if they were the same, I suppose."
Tirian nodded solemnly before replying.
"The wood elves of my land are similar in appearance but different in actions. Blonde hair and beautiful blue eyes just like Furus elves. However Thailand elves are much nicer and more open to accept outsiders."
Tirian looked away for a moment, his words on the tip of his tongue for the briefest of moments as his decision came quickly.
"My mother Allynn Runetheil was the Queen of the elven empire Imladris."
Aaerynn's eyes widened slightly as he relayed his secret onto her. She hadn't really been expecting it. The secret itself was somewhat hard to believe, but her eyes turned to the sword at his side. The blade had sung when he used it, and it had cut through bodies as if they were nothing. There was no doubt that it was an elven blade, and a blade of great importance and power. "I see..."
It was the only thing she could say really. The only words that came to mind. So there were elves in Thialea as well. She looked down at the ground, crossing her arms in front of her chest. And red was half elf. It became clear to her a bit more now. "The um...The only unfriendly elves here are the North Wood elves. They tend to keep to themselves. I'm not...I don't really....represent my race, so...."
She turned quiet, her gaze lingering on the campfire.
Tirian’s voice broke her out of her thoughts as he said, "I don't think you're a bad person. You just need to learn to trust people."
Tirian gave Aaerynn a gentle smile before walking back towards the camp, only to stop and whisper one more thing to the elf.
"I trust you with this information. I expect some trust as well. Don't worry the pain goes away after a while."
Aaerynn looked up at him with surprise as he finally walked away. Not a bad person, huh? The wood elf frowned, and looked at the ground. She tried holding onto the new information as she returned to the campfire and sat down. Anything was better than the memories creeping into her soul.
The twins had taken up their own small space beside the fire. Serna had become more responsive, but it was mostly for the sake of her worried brother. She helped with dinner as best she could, trying to remain focused on something else besides the pain in her head. But after dinner she laid down, unwillingly to move except to quietly converse with her twin.
On the inside, she wondered whether or not she was dying.
Her dark eyes looked up at her brother; he was sitting beside her, talking about silly things. She couldn’t really hear him anymore as her skull felt like it was being crushed in. But she could take in his face, his smile and the worry that was clear in his eyes. Serna didn’t want to die like this. Her brother had done everything he could to save her, but what if she couldn’t be saved?
Would this be the last time she got to see him smile? The last time she got to somewhat hear his voice? The last time she got to see her own eyes in his face? The last time she would be able to stay beside him?
Slowly she reached out her hand to touch his. She wanted to remember this moment, always. She wanted to remember what it was like to be with him, to have her brother beside her again. But there was regret within her too, and pain. She wanted to see her mother one last time. She wanted to hug her mother and tell her that she loved her. She wanted to see her father one last time, to tell him that she was sorry for being born this way. She wanted to see her old friends, and their old cow on the farm, and she wanted to see the Syndarean sky one last time.
But she wouldn’t get that, and neither would her brother. What would happen to him if she died here? Her grip on her brother’s hand tightened, and Setna looked down at her with worry. He quietly grasped her hand just as tight and the twins remained like that, holding each other’s hand as the night continued on.
Watch was brought up, but it was rather clear that no one would be sleeping soundly this night. The memory of the burnt clearing was at the forefront of everyone’s mind.
As the hours ticked on and most of the party had been lying down, they came. They came in a horde, and the campfire was lost to darkness.
Aaerynn was the first to rise, having heard the sound of running feet. Yet as she stood they jumped, and she was ambushed by raking claws and the dribbling mouths of goblins. They overtook the party in a matter of seconds. They went for the elves first, and Aaerynn found herself taken to the ground by the creatures.
“We’ve been waiting!” “The elf the elf!” “Get the elf!” “Take the elf!” “Heart, heart, get the heart!”
The creatures were muttering nonsense, and Aaerynn screamed in annoyance as she tried to get them off her. But one after the other they dragged her down. They ripped open her shirt and she could feel hands grasp at her skin, she tried pulling them off but another would return. Nails dug into her and the wood elf screamed in pain. A goblin sat on her chest, brandishing a knife. “We’ve waited! We hoped they would come! We killed the trees! Killed the trees! And you came! You came, the elf came! We’ll take and take and take!”
Aaerynn grit her teeth trying to pull them off her, but more creatures held onto her arms. Her eyes widened as the goblin’s blade plunged into her chest, it dug into her collarbone and ripped into her shoulder. She screamed, but used the anger to throw the creatures off her, as she jumped to her feet. In one swoop she unsheathed her dagger and cut the head off the goblin that injured her.
The goblins had seized a cart, rocking it until it fell over, spilling its contents onto the forest floor and frightening the oxen. They were met by the swift swipe of an axe as Rudolf came to protect his cargo. But the group was outnumbered and it only grew worse…
Setna sat up in the chaos, unsheathing his blade. He woke his sister, telling her to hide but Serna couldn’t hear him. She couldn’t hear anything over the thunderous noise of screaming and marching feet. After urging her on, the Syndarean boy ran over to Caelis and Faith who were overcome by the monsters. One had grabbed a hold of the young girl’s hair and Setna didn’t hesitate as he brought his blade into the goblin and shoved it away from the young girl.
Serna slowly stood, all out of sorts as the pain in her head only grew stronger. The creatures left her alone for the most part, as they only focused on the carts and the elves, and anyone attempting to stop them.
She was the first one to notice the vibration in the ground as something big came. She turned to where it was coming from and her eyes widened. Vordan had been taken down and he looked dazed as he tried to get to his feet. Serna didn’t know what was wrong, but as a shadow came closer and closer through the darkness, the young girl knew she had to do something. She started running, and urged the mercenary to move or to run.
He either couldn’t hear her or just didn’t, until the girl was standing in front of him as the shadow emerged to reveal a giant cave troll being ridden by a goblin like a mount. The cave troll stopped and raised his arms to crush them.
Serna didn’t know why she did it, or how, but she raised her arms, and the power leapt from her body, unable to be held back any longer. A flashing light lit up the camp, causing a stun and a stop to the chaos, for just a moment.
Serna stood with a purple iridescent barrier above her, shielding herself from the cave trolls massive arms. However just as quickly as the shield appeared, blood soon dripped down from the girl’s nose as she continued to try and hold it. The cave troll wound his arms up one more time and smashed it down on the shield.
Serna let out a gasp of pain, her eyes wide as the shield cracked, and more blood flowed down her nostrils.
One last time the troll raised its arms, and then beat down on the shield.
This time the magic barrier finally shattered, releasing shards of iridescent light that broke apart into dust.
Serna’s arms fell limp to her sides. Her eyes lost their life as she gave another horrific gasp that sounded as if she were drowning, and blood oozed from her lips and further down her nose. Her body crumpled, and the only thing that was heard was Setna’s cry.
“NNNNOOOOOOO!!!!”
He had already started running towards her, and as the troll wound up to crush her, Setna tackled her down. They were sent rolling across the grass, Setna holding tightly to his sister. Once they stopped, the boy sat up with Serna’s limp body in his arms. Setna desperately wiped away the blood from her nose, but that was when the seizures kicked in. Her body convulsed and the boy tried remembering what he knew, the training that he had. But he was freezing up, as his sister’s blood covered his hands and tears filled his eyes. “No…no…Serie…Serie…no.”
The tears billowed and slid down his face as he rolled her onto his side and put her head on his lap so she wouldn’t further injure herself. He didn’t know what to do. What was he supposed to do!? He looked up trying to hold in his sobs as he held onto his sister with all his might.
Aaerynn had picked up her bow as the light blinded the camp and the female twin stood with a magical barrier summoned before her. She had watched as just as it had come, it was shattered and the girl’s body was sent to the ground, practically lifeless.
Using her dagger to slice into another goblin, she watched as the boy twin saved his sister from being crushed, and that was when she called for Baineth. She grabbed onto her horse, letting the mare sprint ahead to the twins where she jumped off and raced forward with her pack in hand. With two fingers, the wood elf made a long and loud whistle that burst through the camp. It wasn’t long before the rush of paws on dirt filled the campsite and wolves burst through the tree line, their jaws snatching into goblin flesh.
As Aaerynn got closer to the twins, that was when she saw the scribbler who looked disoriented, and the female elf quickly ran over to him first. She grabbed his arm and threw it over her shoulder, dragging him towards the twins where she dropped him slowly. “Come on you stupid scribbler, get it together!” She said through gritted teeth.
After dropping him she ran over to the twins, and knelt down next to Serna. “Tell me what you know so I can help her.”
Setna looked up at her with wide eyes, tears still slipping down his cheeks. “I-I-I d-don’t know…I…it’s…”
Aaerynn was already searching through her bag. Her voice was cold yet calm and stern. “C’mon boy, talk to me. She has magic right? Is this a kickback? How do your people deal with this situation?”
Setna swallowed the mucus in his throat, holding tightly onto his sister. “Y-Yes…uh this is…the barrier magic kickback…um…its seizures, and bleeding. I don’t…I don’t know what we did…uh my people in training…we had…there was a pill to help it but…I don’t know.”
Aaerynn remained silent as she grabbed a vile, and wiped away the bloody foam leaking from the girl’s lips. “Tilt her so I can give her this.”
Setna did as she instructed, but his mind was beginning to fade. His arms were shaking and he couldn’t focus as his chest constricted. His eyes looked toward Aaerynn who was carefully pouring the vial’s contents into his sister’s mouth and attempting to help her swallow. His eyes however focused on the elf’s shoulder, which was bleeding rapidly. “Y-You’re injured….the blood…the blood is black…is it supposed to be black?”
Aaerynn grimaced at the questioning as she continued to work. “Shut up and focus on your sister right now, not me.”
Setna did as he was told, and his eyes widened as slowly Serna’s body began to calm and the seizure passed. Blood was still oozing from her nose and her ears but it was stopping. Tears filled Setna’s eyes and he looked up to thank the elf but that was when his eyes widened in horror.
Aaerynn stared at his face before looking behind her. A troll was charging their way and the wood elf immediately stood, she brandished her bow and began shooting. The pain in her shoulder however knocked off her aim, and it took to many shots for her to hit the goblin rider in the head. The troll continued rushing forward and her arrows were making no impact on it. The wood elf grimace and unsheathed her dagger once more. She had had enough, and the anger in her made her heart thud in her chest.
“Come on!!” She screamed at it.