Chapter 9. Aftermath and Farewell.
The first thing that reached her senses was the strong smell of medicinal herbs and potions. That kind of musty and earthy smell that invades your nose and refuses to leave no matter how loudly you sniffed.
It was a familiar scent, a welcomed one.
How many afternoons had she spent in the halls of healing after a training session gone too far? How many nights had she spent on one of the comfortable beds, being scolded for her recklessness by an infuriated Lauriel while a smirking Vanur watched in amusement from the side?
Getting injured had never bothered her. It was proof of her dedication, evidence of her commitment to her chosen path. And every broken bone, every pulled muscle and dislocated joint had also been a chance to spend time with one of her favourite people, which became two after Elara had joined the Halls.
Elara…
A jolt of pain washed over her body, nerves reigniting with burning agony as an onslaught of memories assaulted her feverish mind with fire and death. Rünira opened her eyes to nothing but darkness, a dry scream escaping her parched throat, taut muscles refusing to obey her commands as her body trashed uncontrollably, damp clothes and sheets clinging to her body with suffocating feeling.
"Shhh… It's ok Rüni, you are safe."
Lauriel's soft whispers reached her through her growing panic, the gentle voice quenching her pain like a soothing balm on a fresh burn. Rünira felt something brought up to her open mouth, a bittersweet liquid travelling down her dry throat as she eagerly drank whatever it was.
"Sleep…you need to rest."
The effect was almost immediate. Her body relaxed, all tension leaving her as she fell flat back on the bed, starting to feel as if she was swimming through a sea of clouds before her head could even hit the pillow. She fell back into a deep sleep amidst Lauriel's gentle humming, the warm sound guiding her to the lands of dreams and shielding her from the nightmares that would have surely haunted her.
The second time Rünira woke up was much unlike the first. She opened her eyes to the sound of heavy rain, immediately knowing where she was, and what had happened, memories of her fight with the dragon seared in the back of her mind. The pain that had filled her last time was still there, but muted and distant, overwhelmed by a sense of complete numbness.
She just felt tired, sore, and so very empty.
"I am glad to see you are finally awake, Rünira."
Turning her head slowly in the direction of the voice, she saw Larfal walking through the door, approaching her bed with a slow gait. The king looked as regal as ever, immaculate robes flowing with every step, but an unmistakable sense of tiredness clung to him like a shadow, distorting his usual youthful image and giving a rare glimpse of his true age.
"You had us quite worried," Larfal added with a tired smile, making himself comfortable on a chair next to her bed. "I am sure Healer Lauriel will be most delighted to see you awake."
The sounds of the storm raging outside filled the silence with its unrelenting intensity. The sky itself seemingly mourning with all the anger Rünira could not seem to muster.
"…what happened?" she finally asked, hating how frail her voice sounded to her own ears, not needing more reminders of her own weakness. "What happened after…"
After she failed, after Elara died consumed by the fire, after Vanur arrived too late. Rünira could have finished her question in many ways, but she wasn't strong enough to utter any of them, trusting that Larfal would understand.
The King took a moment to respond, seemingly mulling over his words, watching Rünira carefully from where he was seated.
"What happened…was not in any way your fault, my dear girl." He said finally, green eyes shining full of compassion. "I urge you to not blame yourself, for your courageous actions were crucial in preventing this tragedy from reaching an unthinkable magnitude."
Rünira knew Larfal only meant to comfort her, to help her. But his words rang hollow in her ears. She didn't want to listen to empty platitudes now, and something in her face must have told him as much.
Larfal let out a sigh, closing his eyes for a brief moment before opening them again, only grim determination showing in his gaze. "As you know, this was not the first time that the Alf Forest has suffered under the assault of a green dragon," He began, casting a wandering look through the healing halls, probably recalling scenes of times long past. "In fact, it is the third time in living memory that such a thing has happened."
Rünira hadn't known that. She was aware of the first incident with a green dragon, it was a historical event after all, and her teachers had been quite thorough in covering it. But a second attack was news to her.
As if sensing her surprise, Larfal proceeded with his explanation. "The first dragon was slain by my father with the very same weapon you used to be so enraptured by, though I am afraid the spear will sadly never be of use for such ventures again."
Rünira didn't understand what the king meant by that, but she didn't really care enough to ask right now.
"The second dragon was, and still is, a confidential affair, so naturally, not many people know that it was killed by my daughter the very day she left this forest."
Rünira felt a flicker of frustration spark within her at Larfal's words, numbness starting to give away to something dark and ugly. 'How? How could Princess Riveria have managed something like that?'
"I have never made a secret of my dislike of deities, but even I admit their blessing is something truly outstanding." Larfal continued, seemingly ignoring her growing unrest. "Riveria has always been gifted when it came to magic, but seeing her not just defeat, but completely annihilate such a fearsome monster only seconds after receiving her falna was truly eye-opening."
Rünira's hands tighten painfully around the sheets of her bed, the previous spark of frustration starting to grow stronger inside of her. It always came back to that…a god's blessing. 'Was that the answer all along?' she thought bitterly, wondering if all the years spent training had indeed been a waste of time. 'If I had gone to Orario sooner then maybe none of this would have happened…'
"We had contingencies planned in the unlikely case of another attack," Larfal told her, face contorting in a rare show of frustration. "We know that monsters outside The Dungeon grow weaker with each generation, but by all accounts, this green dragon was stronger than the one my father faced. We were thoroughly unprepared for such a foe."
Thunder rumbled outside, the sound booming briefly before it too was drowned by the torrential downpour. Rünira watched the window near her bed shake and rattle against the wind, mind lost mulling over the things she was hearing. Did it matter in the end how strong the dragon had been? She had failed to slay it, and was miserably defeated. Yet again rendered useless in the face of a bloody dragon. 'I need to be stronger.'
"You still haven't answered my question…" Rünira said, lifting her gaze to look back at Larfal, doing her best to keep her face blank and devoid of emotion in the wake of her rising temper.
"Forgive an old man's rambles, I was just getting to that," The King conceded, giving her a slight nod, before continuing. "To make a long tale short, after young Vanur got to the scene, Miss Lilix had already met her tragic fate, and you were dangerously close to following in her steps. He ordered your immediate extraction, after which a fight ensued, ending with the dragon's defeat."
From Larfal's taut expression, Rünira could feel that there was more to the story, but she chose not to press for answers yet, choosing to let the king continue.
Larfal face softened. "You should be pleased to hear though, that the young girl you so bravely rescued is perfectly alright." He said, pride shining briefly in his eyes. "Although she was, quite understandably, beyond frightened by her experience."
Rünira stared blankly for a moment, confusion clear on her face. "…girl?" she repeated dumbly, groaning a little as her sore muscles protested in pain when she tried to sit straight on her bed.
"Why yes, the young daughter of the envoys from the Wishe forest," Larfal told her while he assisted her in finding a more comfortable position, before retaking his seat next to the bed. "She was quite thankful for being rescued by, in her own words, such a "cool heroine". Her parents too were most effusive with their gratitude towards you."
Memories of the orange-haired little elf with wide and terrified blue eyes came slowly back to her. Rünira had honestly forgotten all about her after what had transpired, but she was still relieved to hear that the child was safe.
"Oh…" She let out simply, not really knowing what to say. She certainly didn't feel like a heroine at the moment.
Larfal let out a gentle chuckle, apparently finding her lack of eloquence amusing. "She along with Vanur have made a complete recovery from their injuries, minor as they were, though the whole ordeal will probably weigh on their minds for a long time." He said, with considerably less joy in his voice.
Rünira's mind took a second to register the meaning of Larfal's words, face filling with incredulity once she grasped the impossibility of what he was saying. "Vanur was injured!?" she screamed, wincing in pain as her body protested the sudden movement.
Her outburst seemed to take Larfal by surprise, who quickly held up a hand trying to calm her down. Rünira knew she was being ridiculous, but she honestly couldn't imagine Vanur getting hurt. He was too strong.
"Do not fret, child, Vanur is fine. Physically, he didn't receive so much as a scratch and a light burn. Though I am afraid it was his mind that took the most severe hit." He told her, tone becoming grave as he spoke. "You see, young Vanur managed to slay the dragon, but the price was exceedingly high… along with Miss Lilix, his entire team perished during the confrontation."
"That's… That's not possible." Rünira shook her head in denial, breath catching in her throat, chest tightening painfully as she struggled to understand what she had just heard. 'That can't be true, there is no way his whole team could die like that.' She refused to believe it. She was weak and stupid, and that's why she had failed, but Vanur was different, special and strong like no other.
But Larfal seemed to view things differently. "Of course, Vanur being who he is, so accustomed to flawless victories, saw this not as the miraculous accomplishment that it was, but as his single greatest failure," he said, sorrow clear in his tone.
"B-But Vanur's the strongest! he's a hero!" she cried, finally losing what little remained of her composure. "How could anyone die with him there!?"
"Ah…" A tired sigh escaped Larfal's lips, a small frown donning on his face. He appeared upset, but at her or at himself Rünira couldn't tell.
"Many people think the way you do, Rünira," he said in a manner that almost seemed resigned. "Many people have bought into the legend of the youngest weapon master to ever live, including Vanur himself I'm afraid. But it was not always like that, and I fear that this event has reminded everyone of this very fact."
"W-What do you mean?" Rünira asked, feeling completely lost, not knowing what Larfal was talking about. "Vanur is great, all my classmates say so."
Larfal nodded his head. "He is indeed, and for very good reason," he agreed. "But as I said before, it did not use to be like that."
He stood up from his chair, slowly walking to the window next to her bed. Through the reflection in the window, Rünira could see the faraway look on his tired emerald eyes as the king stared at the storm raging outside.
"It is not a very know fact amongst the youngest generation, but Vanur was born with the most peculiar lack of ability to utilise magic, his mind is potent and abundant, but ever since he was a little boy, he has been consistently unable to shape it in any way, rendering him incapable of casting spells," he explained, lifting his hand to touch the window, finger tracing unfamiliar symbols on the damp glass. "He was, of course, deemed a failure by his peers and ridiculed by his perceived flaws."
Rünira couldn't help being startled by his tone, never before having heard such bitterness oozing out Larfal's voice. The king had always projected a calm and affable image to Rünira, making her feel safe and comfortable in his presence. Whatever had happened to Vanur must have been truly vile to make him react this way.
"The elders ordered me to remove such a stain from our noble race. Exiled, banished or assassinated, it did not matter to them as long as he was gone and unable to tarnish our reputation.
"It is a well-known fact that all elves are born with innate magic, capable of casting spells if they put the effort and dedication required to achieve it." He said. "It is also believed that those who do not, simply decided not to pursue such a difficult task."
Rünira frowned thoughtfully. "And Vanur's sole existence put that belief into question," she said, getting now where Larfal was going with this.
"A dangerous question many did not wish asked, let alone answered," he added, nodding in agreement. "But all that ended the very day he decided to pick up a sword. Not a doubt was left in anyone's mind that, as far as weapons were concerned, Vanur was the single, most talented elf that has ever set foot inside this forest."
The king turned away from the window, looking more defeated than Rünira had ever seen him. "He blames himself," he told her, sadness and frustration warring in his face as he retook his seat. "For being too slow to save Miss Lilix, too weak to protect his own men, to protect you… But worse of all, a lot of people blame him too, a lot of people who suddenly remembered a young kid unable to live up to our race's biggest legacy."
"I can't believe they aren't blaming me…" Rünira said, shaking her head, a sardonic smile finding its way to her face, unable to believe people were blaming Vanur for what had happened. 'ungrateful fools…'
"Oh they most certainly are, I just thought it did not bear mentioning," Larfal said dismissively, with a wave of his hand, before turning serious again. "Though I am afraid Lord and Lady Lilix are another matter altogether. Their influence is far-reaching, and in their grief-stricken state, they deemed you as the one responsible for their daughter's untimely demise."
Rünira's heart sank, air leaving her lungs in an impotent sigh. "I'm not surprised…" she said quietly, emerald eyes fixed squarely on her calloused palms. "They were against our friendship from the very beginning, Elara said as much multiple times."
Larfal shook his head slightly. "It is not as simple as that Rünira," he said intently. "They have gone around convincing the noble families that your presence here is endangering their children. This is, of course, utter nonsense, but there is little I can do to stop it at this point."
"That's nothing new either," Rünira added, trying a failing to contain a disdainful sniff. Memories of her past relationship with Elara and the difficulties they had faced bringing a deep, painful ache to her heart.
"Indeed, but now they have what they think is proof of their claims," Larfal said patiently. "You made me promise six years ago to inform you about these things. I can handle the elders, but the noble families together have considerably more power. The situation is not good."
"I thought your word was absolute?" she said, looking at him through narrowed eyes. "That no one here would dare oppose you."
"And you would be right, no elf, here or elsewhere, would ever dare to openly oppose me," Larfal said calmly, giving her a meaningful look in return.
Rünira looked at him for a brief moment before nodding in response, understanding hitting her like a hammer to the face. "But accidents happen," she finished grimly, letting him know she had gotten the message.
"It pains me greatly to say that I no longer trust in my ability to guarantee your safety inside the Alf Royal Forest," Larfal said to her, sorrow and frustration clear in his tone. "I never thought I would live to feel such disappointment in my own people again, seeking the death of another innocent child…"
Silence hung between them after Larfal's statement. Rünira knew she should feel something, anger, frustration, fear. But the only thing filling her at the moment was an odd sense of relief.
"It doesn't matter…" she said finally, trying to give the king a reassuring smile. "I'll be gone soon anyway, this only gives me more reasons to not delay it."
Larfal nodded slowly in understanding before a look of realisation appeared on his face. "That reminds me," he said, hand disappearing into his robes seemingly looking for something. "It is a bit late… with all that happened I am afraid it must have slipped my mind, but never mind that…"
He finally seemed to find what he was searching for, taking a surprisingly big package out from his pocket and presenting it to Rünira. "Happy birthday, my dear girl."
Rünira looked puzzled for a moment, eyes darting back and forth between Larfal and the neatly wrapped object, wondering how he had managed to conceal it inside his robes, before his words finally registered on her mind. "Birthday?" she repeated, brow furrowing in confusion as she took the notably heavy gift with both her hands. "How long was I unconscious?"
"Counting today, exactly twenty-one days," He informed her with notably less enthusiasm. "Your fifteenth birthday was two days ago."
Rünira was completely lost for words, mouth opening and closing several but not managing to make a sound. "H-How?" she finally managed to ask after a while.
Larfal looked at her with clear sympathy, hand finding her shoulder, giving her a reassuring squeeze. "Your injuries were most severe Rünira, were it not for Healer Lauriel's prodigious skill, you would have likely not survived the first night." He told her gently, "The fact that you not only lived, but recovered completely, is nothing short of a miracle."
Rünira closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, Larfal's words echoing in her mind. 'Three weeks lost…' she thought incredulously, anger and disappointment warring within her.
She felt her hands protesting in pain making her look down, noticing that she was clutching the gift with a vice grip, fingers digging painfully against the hard object, white knuckles popping up against the pink flesh of her hands.
Releasing the breath she had been holding, Rünira relaxed her grip, eyes catching onto a golden shine peeking out from under the broken wrapping. Turning her attention to the gift sitting on her lap, she began unwrapping the big rectangular package, coming face to face with a big greyish book.
Rünira had been expecting something like this, but she still couldn't resist running her hand over its hard surface, finding it cool to the touch, surprise flashing through her as she realised the binding was made from metal.'No wonder it's so heavy…'
Realising that she was holding it backwards, Rünira turned the book around, eyes widening in shock as they instinctively travelled to the big golden letters that dominated the metallic surface.
ᚱᚢᚾᚨᛒᛟᚴ
"This is…" Rünira began, words catching in her suddenly dry throat, not allowing her to continue. She felt a shiver travel down her spine as her gaze devoured the gold symbols, her heart pounded inside her chest, an electric feeling prickling at the tip of her fingers.
"The Book of Runes…" Larfal finished for her from his seat. "This was the last book that Tara left in my care all those years ago… though I suddenly remembered about it just a couple of days ago, a most curious thing indeed."
Rünira looked up, feeling suddenly defensive. "Have…Have you read it?" she asked, almost dreading to hear the answer. She knew she shouldn't feel this way, her mother had trusted Larfal with the book and it was not her place to question her decision, but an irrational part of her didn't like the fact that someone other than a dwarf could have read about their runes.
Larfal shook his head slowly. "No, I have not," he answered, probably not missing the look of relief that appeared on her face. "Though I cannot deny that I felt tempted…but alas, the book is locked, and I would never disrespect Tara's memory by trying to force it open."
Rünira looked back down at the book, finding the golden latch almost instantly, brow furrowing in confusion as she couldn't see any keyhole or other way to open it.
"It is a magical lock, much like the one you encountered with Miss Lilix all those years ago," Larfal told her, probably noticing her predicament. "I suspect that a similar method would suffice to open it."
Rünira nodded her head in understanding, but decided to put the book aside for now, not really wanting to open it. If what Larfal said was true, she would always have the key with her whenever she went.
She watched as Larfal slowly stood up, dusting some non-existing dust out of his robes with the back of his hand before giving her an apologetic look. "I am afraid I must be going, there is still much for me to do. I will talk with Healer Lauriel about your discharge and make the necessary preparations for your departure," he told her. "You should rest, we will talk more tomorrow."
Rünira nodded half-heartedly in response, deep exhaustion starting to take hold of her sore body. Making it clear that she wasn't completely healed just yet.
The king gave her a last penetrating look before turning around and walking towards the exit. Rünira heard the sound of the door closing behind him, leaving her alone in the room, only the sounds of the wind and the rain filling the oppressive silence.
She lay down again on the bed, covering herself to the chin with the warm sheets, trying to fight the sudden chill that seemed to take over the room after Larfal's departure. Thoughts of Elara filled her mind, making her heart ache with the familiar sting of grief.
'Never again.' she swore silently to herself as hot tears streamed down her face. Never again would someone die because of her weakness. She would become strong, more powerful than anyone has ever been, and purge the world of those accursed monsters. 'Let fire and earth bear witness to my vow.'
Never again.
The twisting branches of the kneeling willow swayed lazily in the morning breeze, soft creaks and moans escaping the hallowed tree as it moved and turned with the gentle wind. The strong scent of blooming flowers hung in the air, flooding the senses of the two figures standing in the clearing, the warm rays of dawn breaking through the treetops, bathing them in the pale light of the morning sun.
"You should still be resting," Lauriel's melodic voice came with a hint of accusation, a pretty frown adorning her ethereal features, violet eyes showing her displeasure. "It has only been a week…you need more time to heal, Rüni."
Rünira didn't turn to look at her, choosing instead to kneel in front of the tree, the bulging backpack on her shoulder hitting the floor with a heavy thud.
"I can't stay here any longer, I need to move on, to keep going forward…" her answer came quiet but clear and full of resolve. "Besides, you heard what Larfal said, it's not safe for me to stay here anymore."
Lauriel shook her head, looking clearly stricken. "I still cannot believe…" she began with a huff. "The nerve of those people, daring to blame you for what happened! Daring to go against the king's will."
"It's better this way…" Rünira said with a resigned smile, eyes filling with sadness as she gazed at the towering tree. "I should be gone already but…I wasn't yet ready to say goodbye."
"…Is that why we are here?" Lauriel asked softly, eyes gazing at the beautiful scenery.
Rünira gave her a small nod. "I know elves don't believe in gravestones, so I didn't know where to do it but…this is the place our friendship began," she said, voice thick with emotion. "I thought it would be fitting…"
"It is perfect," Lauriel told her softly.
Rünira placed the palm of her hand against the damp earth, trying to convey the feelings that her heart so desperately held, hoping that they would reach Elara wherever she might be. She wished she knew what to say, wished she could come up with the right words to honour the beautiful and brave person Elara had been. But her mind stubbornly refused to help, words of praise and love evading her, only bitterness and guilt filling her mind.
The soft whispers of her companion brought Rünira out of her thoughts, making her turn her head towards Lauriel, seeing her with her head low and eyes closed, both hands brought up to her chest, deep in prayer.
Rünira just knelt there in silence, listening enraptured as Lauriel's voice filled the clearing like an ethereal song drifting in the wind. The old elvish felt foreign to her ears, its meaning lost to her. But the words still evoked something deep and powerful within her heart.
Pain for the ones that were lost, but also joy for the life they had led.
She didn't know how long she spent listening, but eventually, the song came to an end. The air around them filled once again with the pure sounds of nature.
It was time to go.
Rünira stood up, but her legs refused to move under the weight of her mounting guilt, words coming out of her mouth before she could stop them.
"I was weak… I thought I could kill it, but I failed, and you paid the price," her voice was barely above a whisper, carried away by the gentle breeze. "Why did you come back? you had already escaped… So why!?"
She felt a pair of arms enveloping her strongly from behind, the familiar warmth embrace helping her fight the sorrow threatening to drown her. "Because she loved you," Lauriel's voice came, gentle but full of ardent conviction, holding her almost painfully tight. "Loved you enough to risk her life for you, just like you would have done."
"And I did! but she had to come back and ruin it!" Rünira cried, unable to hold back any longer, angry tears starting to run down her face. "It should've been me!"
"Do not say that," Lauriel whispered furiously against her ear, hugging her even tighter. "How do you think Elara would have felt if she had let you die knowing she could help?"
"Devastated," Rünira answered automatically, not needing to think about it."But she would still be alive…"
"Oh, Rüni…"
Rünira shook her head, getting out of the embrace, drying the tears forcefully with the back of her hand. "Either way, it's too late now," she said, turning around to look at Lauriel, green eyes full of pain. "She's gone…"
"She will not be gone as long as you hold her in your heart."
"I don't think Elara would like what my heart has become," Rünira said with a bitter smile on her pale face, her fiery tresses shining brightly under the morning light. "She was always afraid of the dark…"
Lauriel smiled at her sadly, putting a closed hand over the dwarf's chest. "Darkness haunts us all, no matter how weak or strong," she said, giving her a look full of understanding and love. "But we trust ourselves and the people we love to be the light that guides our way forward… promise me Rüni, promise me you will not let this darkness consume you."
Rünira was not surprised by Lauriel's words, if anyone knew for certain about the darkness burning within her soul, it was probably her.
"I promise," she said solemnly. "On her sacrifice, I promise that I'll never let anger or hatred dictate my path."
The walk to the city gates was swift and silent. Rünira and Lauriel moved quickly through the mostly empty streets, only coming across the occasional guard patrol as well as some vendors preparing to open up their businesses for the day. The hostility coming from the elves was well hidden, but still easy for Rünira to see. They had always treated her with barely contained disdain and indifference, but after the incident with the dragon, it had morphed into something else, something colder, darker.
She couldn't deny that a part of her was relieved to be leaving.
"About time you got here," came the familiar voice of Vanur, once again full of his usual arrogance. "I would call you my late apprentice but that seems awfully morbid given the circumstances."
Rünira would've been mad at the tasteless joke, but she was busy trying not to look too surprised as she watched the small group waiting for them at the city gates. Of course, Larfal was there, along with Vanur, just as Rünira had expected. The last one, however…
"Griffy!" Rünira exclaimed as she walked towards the gryphon, the sight of his feathery friend bringing a small smile to her face. "What are you doing here?"
The bird chirped back in obvious delight, looking happy to be reunited with its mistress once more.
"He is waiting for you of course, as a matter of fact, he arrived a few minutes ago, almost as if he knew you were going to need his aid…" said Larfal genially, looking as regal and imposing as ever, humour clear on his one-eyed look and seemingly amused at being overlooked in favour of a monster.
"Rünira! greet King Alf properly!" Lauriel chastised, with a look of exasperation, turning to bow deeply to the elven king. "Apologies for our tardiness, Your Highness, we had to take a small detour before coming here."
Larfal just smiled benevolently. "It is no matter, my dear," he said to Lauriel, dismissing her apology with a simple wave. "It is a good day for waiting if I say so myself."
Rünira didn't pay much attention to the exchange, more preoccupied with stroking the gryphon's majestic feathers, enjoying the little chirps and clicks of joy he was making. But a not-so-subtle cough reminded her that she wasn't alone.
Turning towards Vanur she saw him watching her with an irritated expression on his face, clearly annoyed at being ignored.
Rünira held back a snigger. "'bout time you stopped sulking," she said to her master, giving him a cheeky smile, trying to break the ice. "Lauriel was afraid you were never gonna leave your house again."
Her tone was humorous, but she couldn't quite conceal the concern in her voice, nor the relief she felt at seeing him back to his usual self.
Vanur sighed softly. "I apologise for making you worry…It just took me a while to come to terms with what happened," he said with a bitter smile. "To accept my own weakness, and the fact that there is nothing left here for me to learn."
Rünira couldn't hide her surprise at that. "Is that why you are in travelling clothes?" she asked tentatively, finally noticing the getup Vanur was wearing as well as the bag he was carrying, similar to her own. "You're not coming with me are you?"
"Of course not," Vanur scoffed, shaking his head. "I care not for gods and their blessing, my goal has always been to push the limits of mortal strength, to find the ultimate expression of our own capabilities."
"Then what are you gonna do?" Rünira asked, a little sceptical, never in a thousand years imagining that Vanur would choose to leave the forest. "Travel around looking for secret techniques or something?"
Vanur chuckled lightly. "The world is vast and full of mysteries, Rünira," he said, back to his usual confidence. "I am sure somewhere on this earth, there is still knowledge that would allow me to surpass my current self."
Rünira wasn't so sure about that, Vanur was plenty strong already in her opinion, but she understood better than anyone what it was to feel weak and the burning desire to get stronger.
"Where would you go?" she asked curiously.
"Not sure yet," Vanur replied with a shrug. "To The Far East maybe? their martial arts are thought to be unrivalled, it could be a good place to start."
Rünria nodded slowly, conceding his point before looking back at Larfal who seemed to have finished talking with Lauriel, and now, to her surprise, appeared to be holding a variety of packages in his hands, which made her shake her head in disbelief 'Seriously, where does he keep all that?'
But the mystery of Larfal's magical pockets would have to wait, as both the king and Lauriel started to approach them.
"Your Highness," Rünira bowed awkwardly, cringing internally at her attempted courtesy. It was her last day in the Alf Royal Forest, the least she could do was try to be respectful.
"There is no need for that my dear girl, your presence here has always been a breath of fresh air to this old elf, lack of decorum included," Larfal said with a small wink, clearly amused, before a more subdued look appeared on his face. "One that I will miss most dearly."
A cluttering sound filled the air, the things Larfal was carrying hit the ground as Rünira jumped forward, enveloping the High Elf King in a bone-crushing hug. "'m gonna miss you too," she whispered, burying her head in the king's robes.
"Rünira!—" Lauriel began, looking scandalised, before being cut by a simple gesture of the king's hand.
"Oh my dear girl," Larfal said to her, enveloping her gently with his arms as Vanur and Lauriel watched the exchange in utter disbelief. "Your parents would be so proud of the splendid young woman you have become, I most certainly am."
Rünira ended the hug, looking up at him with a teary smile. "Yet you keep calling me a girl," she sniffed in mock exasperation. "I'm all grown up now!"
Larfal merely smiled. "You will have to forgive me, all young people look like children to my eyes, it is one of the many perks of having lived for so long," he told her, chuckling gently. "When you reach my age, you will understand."
Lauriel came forward, bowing slightly. "My apologies King Alf, I don't wish to interrupt, but Rünira needs to depart soon if she wishes to reach Orario before dark," she said, "The fact that Griffy is here means that she will not have to endure days of travel, but even then, the journey will take her many hours…"
"Of course, of course," Larfal nodded, bending to pick up one of the objects that had fallen to the ground despite the other elves' protest. "Time for parting gifts then."
"Gifts?" Rünira repeated, eyebrows raised, a surprised look on her face.
"Of course," Larfal said, begging to untie the cloth covering the gift, revealing a beautiful iron shield peeking from inside.
"We cannot have our fledgling Thane going around without her equipment now, can we?" Vanur added with a smirk, seemingly enjoying Rünira's dumbstruck look.
Rünira ignored Vanur, taking the gift with shaky hands, gingerly turning it around to see an impressive-looking hatchet strapped to the back of the shield, a lump forming in her throat as she took in the masterful craftsmanship of the items in her hands.
"Thank you," she said, hoping the simple words would be enough to convey her gratitude.
"Unfortunately, there was not enough time to have a new set of armour forged," Larfal said, producing a large pouch overflowing with gold coins. "I trust this will be enough for you to acquire one once you establish yourself in Orario."
Rünira stared gobsmacked at the pouch unable to imagine the amount of money the object held within its leathery confines. The thing looked about ready to burst at the seams!
"H-How much is this?" she asked shakily, almost afraid of hearing the answer.
"A few million Valis," Larfal said without missing a beat, as if giving away so much money was something completely normal.
"I can't accept that!" Rünira exclaimed, shaking her head rapidly. "It's too much!"
Vanur shifted next to her, looking impatient. "You know we do not use currency in the Alf Royal Forest, Rünira," Vanur said, rolling his eyes. "Every coin entering this forest ends up just sitting in a vault gathering dust."
"And as you well know," Larfal interjected, giving Vanur a pointed look."We use them when the need arises."
"O-Of course, Your Highness," Vanur apologised, looking slightly embarrassed at being openly chastised.
Apparently satisfied with Vanur's response, Larfal turned back towards Rünira. "You can accept it and you will," he told her firmly, "I will not have a former ward of the High Elves running around destitute."
"But—"
"No buts," He interrupted with a tone of finality. "You will need funds, not only for equipment, but for normal expenses before you find a familia to support you."
Rünira felt conflicted. As much as she wanted to deny it, a part of her agreed with Larfal, she knew she was going to need the money in the days to come. Not taking it because of her pride seemed like the height of foolishness. "Ok…" she said finally, taking the pouch and putting it inside her bag.
"Splendid," The king said, looking pleased. "Now, onto the other things…"
The next few minutes were a blur in Rünira's mind. They had all been in awe as Larfal proceeded to present Vanur with a magnificent silver sword, forged from the shattered remains of the dragon slayer spear, offering it to him as a parting gift and a reward, wishing him the best on his travels.
Rünira had also been entrusted with three letters she needed to deliver once she reached Orario. Two from Larfal; addressed to the Goddess Loki and to Princess Riveria respectively. And one, surprisingly, from Vanur, who wished to reconnect with her elder sister Aina, who, as far as Rünira knew, had been cast out in disgrace from her family many years ago.
And with all said and done, the time to depart came.
Between tearful hugs and heartfelt assurances to keep up with her training and her studies, as well as to keep in contact, Rünira took to the sky atop her gryphon, the majestic view of The Alf Royal Forest opening up beneath her like a flower in full bloom.
"Farewell…Elara."
A/N: Arc one finished hurray! A little longer than usual, but I really didn't want to split this one, though I somewhat rushed through the ending as it was getting too long for my liking. As always I would love to read all your thoughts, especially since this chapter closes the events of the first arc, which is an important milestone for the story. Was it good? bad? interesting? boring? please let me know.
On to other things... Vanur is Aina's little brother! I'm sure some of you figured out they were somehow related from his last name, but I hope it came as a surprise to some as well. Also, three guesses as to who is our little orange-haired elf is. (Clue: it's pretty easy)
To those interested, ᚱᚢᚾᚨᛒᛟᚴ is the word rúnabók (Icelandic for book of runes) passed through a "rune converter" I found on google.
Next up! the first chapter of arc two: Enter, Wings of Justice!