In order to separate yourself from the path of the stars you must sever your very essence. The light in your eyes will forever leave you. The cool night air will feel foreign amongst your skin, the mothers sparkling blessing of moonlight will forever be lost to your sight. The harsh light of the outcast will welcome you every day, no embrace of night will seek you out anymore. No child of the mother would ever sell their soul in such a way. So why would thoughts of daylight haunt her thoughts? The longing to hear day birds songs and feel warmth on the skin never left her mind. What was wrong with her?
Ethe slowly walked behind her brother in the dark. She watched her feet flatten the soft moss of the forest floor, making sure not to disturb any leaves or twigs that might lie in their path. Her large violet eyes scanned the thicket before them, watching for any movement within the shadows.
"read the earth"
Her brother spoke softly into her mind. She bent to lay a thin pale hand on the damp forest floor and silently spoke in ancient elfish
"amin mani lle"
Slight tremors slithered up her arm, as the earth around her spoke. Every animal print, ever animal breath spoke to her. She opened her mind to her brother and relayed what she had understood.
"two does graze in the meadow two miles north, one is a mother. "
He nodded, and they started to run, their feel silent beneath them. The cool air swirled around Ethes body, engulfing her long auburn hair. She fought the urge to shiver. They silently approached the meadow, and soon spotted the does, one was large and clearly pregnant the other thinner, but full grown. Her brother drew his bow and arrow, she said a silent prayer to the mother, asking for a quick kill.
As they walked home she turned to the east , a soft glow was peaking over the tree tops. Birds songs could be heard through the dense forest. Her heart ached, longing to see the sun appear and fill the world with color and light spread through her body. Then shame swelled in the pit of her stomach. The sun was nothing to admire, the approaching daylight was something to sneer at. But her eyes stayed fixed on the approaching glow.
"would you stop dreaming and help me here"
Her brothers voice made her eyes snap away and lower in shame. She took a pack of meat from his shoulder and threw it over hers. He smiled at her, his deep brown eyes brightening
"I think father will be proud of the kill, you did good"
She merely nodded, fighting to keep her eyes ahead on the path. The camp was silent, almost everyone was tucked away sleeping in a tree or in makeshift shelters. Small fireflies still lingered in bushes and tree tops. The cool night air slowly began to shift, and recede.
"well its about time"
A tall elf walked toward them, his greying hair hung long on his back, his deep eyes locked on Ethe, concern slowly filled them.
"the night is barley clinging to the air, I do not wish my children out this late. "
His eyes gazed at the packs of meat they carried
"ah you were successful in your hunt, Idril how did your sister fair in the ways of earth?"
Idril smiled at his father, their matching eyes sparkling.
"she listened well Father. Led us to our kill without falter"
He nodded and placed a hand on her back, leading them into their shelter.
That night she dreamt of the meadow, it was bathed in sunlight. The sky above was the lightest shade of blue shed ever seen, something so different than the black sky's shed grown up gazing at. Even in her dream she felt guilt sting her tongue. All her life shed been taught to hate the day, and to cherish the night. The mother blessed her race with her own sacred hour. When the light of the stars graced the earth with their beauty, and when her presence filled the light of the moon. The daylight hour was for outcasts, exiles, ones who strayed from the path of the stars and from the mothers embrace. No elf would dare step foot into the sun, but Ethe longed for nothing more.
As the stars began to make their appearance in the darkening sky Ethe joined her brother and several other elves their age at the small creek that flowed silently through the camp. She sank into the soft cool grass and let the fireflies tickle her fingertips. Nearby two girls huddled together giggling.
"Dae is whispering about you again"
She playfully batted her eyelashes at him, he looked over at the girls, who saw his stare. Dae's soft features reddened immediately, and she turned away. He smiled.
"why don't you talk to her? You two stare at one another but have yet to exchange words. Are you afraid brother?"
She laughed as he continued to gaze in the girls direction. He furrowed his brow, and stood.
"Afraid? No of course not. I've killed bears and cougars. Why would I be frightened to talk to a silly girl."
Ethe smiled up at her brother.
"Because you fancy her of course, and you're afraid of rejection. Well I'll tell you right now she will not reject you."
He began to respond when their elder suddenly appeared. Everyone gathered and bowed their head slightly. The elder elf was old, lines crisscrossed her pale face, but large grey eyes shone with the youth of one Ethe's own age.
"children, I am elder Freya. I am afraid elder Lyni will not be returning as soon as we had hoped, I will be leading your class until his return."
A small rumble passed through the group as one another whispered about what the elder had relayed. Elder Freya held up her small hand and silence once again fell.
" as the mothers blessed moonlight appears on this night, we shall train in the ways of her Earth. Not every one of you has this element in their heart, but any elf can conger it in small amounts. Ethe, I understand this is your element? And Iridessa, you as well?"
Ethe nodded and glanced at the other girl the elder spoke to, she was the girl Dae giggled with, her pure white hair hung short, barely touched her shoulders. She was tall for one of her kind, almost taller than Idril. She spoke with pride in her trilling voice
"yes elder, I am gifted with earth"
The elder opened her arms to them, a smile appearing on her old face.
"very good, you two shall practice together, now Idril pair with Emi, Dae with Irisa, Tahl with Fira."
Each elf joined with their pair, Ethe couldn't help but feel annoyance flutter into her essence, Iridessa's features were hard and a smug smile played on her thin lips. She turned her hard silver eyes upon Ethes warm orbs.
"Any elf can call upon earth in a small way"
The elder met each and every young elves eyes.
"you need to find out how it will respond to you. Ask something small from it, a flower, a blade of grass. Balance your spirit, feel the mothers presence in the night air around you."
As the pairs started to test their abilities, the elder moved toward Ethe and Iridessa.
"you two are gifted with earth, you may attempt more advanced callings. What have you already summoned?"
Iridessa straightened her back and her smug smile grew. Ethe rolled her eyes, pride was not an emotion cherished in the elven race, the mere fact that this elf sported it so openly was a smack in the face to everyone around.
"I have grown small seedlings into massive oaks in a matter of days, every plant around me obeys my command."
The elders eyes turned to Ethe. She gulped. Nerves buzzed in her body, making her shift her weight back and forth on her feet.
"I…I have called upon the earth lines..but it is sometimes hard for me to understand them. I mostly listen to the emotions the earth lines bring to me"
Her voice shuddered slightly, the calling she could do was hard, rare even. Every elf who could read earth lines could do it well, it was something you do not learn but is born with you and grows with your essence. She could make a flower bloom, grass around her responded to her touch. But she could do no more. Her father had begun to grow worried about her gifts when she was small. The growth was not constant, not normal. She was ashamed. Elder Freya's face showed no concern, she simply nodded.