Author's Note:
I don't own this stuff. Enjoy!
-Tangent
Dead. It was the only word that really seemed to fit the city that sprawled out in every direction away from her. Silence pressed down upon Iya in waves, broken only by the voices of her friends standing behind her. It was as though time had slowed as soon as the party had entered the city, leaving the atmosphere in a lethargic state.
The city of Eredar, pride of the dwarves, had been remarkably well-preserved over the centuries. Gavin had hypothesized that the barrier around the boundaries had protected the structures from storms and monsters, which made a lot of sense. Many of the buildings were constructed from a fine wood, marble, and granite, all of which had likely been mined from the mountain below their feet. Here and there, quartz had been refined to be used as decorations for doors and windows. The streets were wide, airy, and included lights that automatically turned on as the sun finally sank below the horizon.
And yet, for all its glory, Eredar had essentially ceased to exist. There was no low murmur of constant voices, no children playing in the streets, no guards making their daily rounds. It was all empty and vast and Iya hated it. She hated how it made her feel, that such a grand civilization had been brought low by one of its protectors.
"Anything?" Ean asked her as they approached a fountain in the middle of a massive square, the third or fourth they had encountered on the road in. With no other clues to guide them, her mate had led them towards the center of town, reasoning that it would be the best place to start. "Any feelings, or voices?"
"Nothing." She responded dully. Ean squeezed her shoulder with his free hand, and Iya did her best not to snuggle into his warmth. "It's just so... empty. And vast. Did people really ever live here?"
"I feel it too." The other elf admitted, gazing around at the buildings lining the road. "It's so perfect, and yet, so wrong."
"And what do you think about Nuha?" Iya murmured in a lower tone. "Could she still be here?"
"I would think so, but... we can't be sure. Still, none of the nymphs so far were able to be removed from their homes, only imprisoned or incapacitated. I'd say that's a good sign."
"Maybe."
They continued to walk for a few more minutes in silence, until Ean held up a hand.
"Let's stop somewhere for the night. I'm sure we're all exhausted." There was an admittedly ragged chorus of assent from the party, and they staggered into the closest building that resembled an inn. Their guess was correct, as there turned out to be several dozen vacant beds inside.
"There's not even dust." Jack muttered, swiping his hand across a headboard. "This is so weird."
"When the dwarves built it, they built it to last." Gavin said solemnly. "I don't exactly like defiling such a historically significant place, but I suppose it's necessary." Nearby, Nicholas flopped onto a bed with a groan.
"I've never walked so far in one day."
"Imagine getting down." Ava chuckled darkly from a few beds away, and the prince paled. Iya had picked her own bed next to Ean's and was in the process of setting her pack down.
"Get some rest, everyone." She felt an object strike her head lightly, and knew Ean had tapped her with his rolled-up cloak. "That includes you. Summoning a storm can't be easy."
"And you?" Iya replied in a quieter voice. "Were you planning to sleep tonight?"
"I, uh... yes?" The elf said in a very unconvincing tone.
I guess I'm not surprised he'd keep watch... honestly, though.
"Can't the spirits keep watch? You need rest just as much as me, Ean?"
"I suppose so, but-"
"And we know the barrier was keeping the monsters out, so the chances of us being attacked is already pretty low."
"I agree, it's just-"
"Ean." Iya gripped his hand tightly, where the others could not see, and did her best to smile winningly at her mate. "Do it for me? Please?"
"...Fine." The elf muttered, but he smiled nonetheless and kissed her on the forehead. "A couple of hours couldn't hurt."
"Thank you. Wake me if something happens?" He nodded, and Iya laid down upon her borrowed bed.
As soon as the elf's head touched the pillow, she was gone.
"Awake, my child." Iya sat bolt upright in her bed, eyes flicking around the room. One hand instinctively reached for her magic, and the air crackled slightly with ozone. She was still in Eredar, but something was different. There were no people in the other beds in the room, and she felt her heart clench. Ean was gone too.
"You must hurry." The voice came softly to her, as if from a great distance. "There is no time."
"Nuha? Is that you? Where are the others?"
"Not here, but safe. Come, Iya. Follow my voice." The elf rose, donned her cloak, and slipped out of the inn, staff clutched in one hand.
Pandemonium filled the streets of Eredar as a host of people fled in every direction. But they were smoky and insubstantial, like spirits or ghosts. Several of them passed through her body as though she were not there. Farther away, Iya could see buildings illuminated by a reddish glow. The moon shone overhead, but it seemed dim and weak compared to the scne on the ground.
"Fires." She whispered. "What is this, Nuha?"
"A fragment. Of memory and wisdom. But you must come to me, Iya. Please."
"Where do I go?"
"Follow my trail..." The voice faded away, and Iya was left standing in a sea of turbulent fire and desperate people. Someone seized her shoulder, and the elf spun, magic rising to the surface-
"Iya?" She blinked. She was outside, but there were no people or fires. The streets of Eredar were pristine and neat. The night was pleasantly cool, and she had her stave in one hand. Iya turned her head to the left to see Ean looking at her with concern. "I woke up, and you were gone. Why are you out here?"
"Nuha... She called to me, Ean."
"She did?" The elf breathed. "And where is she?"
"I don't know... all she said was to follow. But I was somewhere else, Ean, somewhere that wasn't here. You weren't there, and I... I feared..." Her mate wrapped his arms around her and squeezed gently.
"I'm here now. Tell me what's going on." Iya took a deep breath and tried to summarize it for him. When she had finished, Ean looked troubled.
"Could you return to that memory and listen to her words again?"
"Probably, but I don't know how. Nuha said to follow her trail." Her mate seemed at a loss for words, but he nodded nonetheless and seized her hand.
"Then we'll follow. And don't you dare-" A finger on her lips silenced the elf most effectively. "-say that you'll go alone. It's out of the question."
"Then I won't say that." Iya gave him a grateful smile, closed her eyes, and let the visions pull her back down into their murky depths.
And again, she was greeted with a horde of people, all rushing to get away from the ominous lights in the distance. There were shouts of fear, anger, dismay, and a thousand other emotions Iya could not process. She sank to one knee, overwhelmed by the flood of noise.
And then Ean was there, gently lifting her back up onto her feet. For a moment, the elves held each other, acclimating themselves to the new environment.
"I'm okay now." She murmured, and her mate released his hold on her body. A small part of her missed the warmth immediately, but Iya shoved those feelings down and focused on the teeming crowds.
Overhead, there was a roar of wind, and the unmistakable form of a dragon shot across the night sky, heading directly for the source of the fires.
"This must be the night Eredar was attacked." Ean said solemnly. "But how?"
"Come, children. I await you." Nuha's voice echoed around them, a sound only they could hear amongst the thousands in the city.
"Where?" Iya called. "Please, show me."
"You must follow." The presence faded away, leaving the elves alone once more.
"Follow what?" Ean asked. "How can we follow with no directions?"
"It must be a spell, but... I don't know anything like that." Iya cast her mind out across the streets, but there was no trace of the nymph.
"What about a song?" She turned to look at the elf opposite her. "Maybe one of your songs could reach across the city and locate her."
"But I don't have any-" For the third time, Ean seized her by the shoulders and looked deep into her eyes.
"Iya, you have to do it. Nuha needs us." His warmth spread through her once again, soothing her fears and worries. "I believe in you."
"I know." She said softly, and held out her hand. She needed a melody, a sound that could reach even the stars. But if there were no existing songs, the only option was for her to make one. But what tune would Nuha respond to?
"Okay." Iya breathed. "The nymph of wisdom is the eldest of her sisters. The oldest, most mature, and it was to her that the Goddess gave the prophecies to dispense to man. So if anyone can hear my song, it will be her."
The elf drew in a breath, pulling the slumbering magic up inside of her. But instead of binding it to a school of magic, Iya pushed it outward, creating a note that blasted outwards like a trumpet. For a moment, as the music rang across the city, she saw the closest heads turn and face her, as if confused by her presence. The sound faded away, and yet, she could still hear the note as it bounced off streets and building.
And then, the note returned in an echoing wave, crashing around them like the tide. The dwarves that had looked her way continued on their previous routes, as if nothing had occurred.
"Very good, Iya. Now, follow the song."
"I did it!" She exclaimed, and Ean smiled approvingly.
"That was incredible. Now come on!" He pulled his mate into his arms, lifted her off the ground, and sprinted off in the direction of the music.
The next few minutes were filled with leaping and dodging as Ean bolted through the abandoned streets of Eredar. As they moved down street after street, the landscape began to resemble that of what Iya had expected the city to look like. Fires raged here and there, and buildings were broken and shattered like toys. Once, Iya thought she saw the shadow of a monster creeping across the city, but it was gone even as she made to point it out.
The worst part was the victims. Bodies lay here and there, crushed by rubble or slaughtered by the enemies that invaded the city.
"Don't look at them, Iya." Ean said softly as he leapt over a collapsed house. "We cannot help them. This has already happened."
"I know." She whispered. "But Goddess, Ean... Who would do such a thing?"
"I think we're going to find out soon enough." The pair rounded a corner, and both of them sucked in a breath.
The section of the city before them had been reduced to ash and rubble by some unknown force. The street itself had been blasted apart by the spell, leaving a barren wasteland of wood and stone.
"What is this?" Iya murmured, slipping free from Ean's grasp and stepping forward tentatively. "And where is the cause?"
Silver light flared outwards, temporarily lighting up the night. A second later, it was answered with a burst of deepest blue.
"That's farther ahead." Ean said. "Should we-"
The attack came so fast that Iya almost missed it. A massive shape flew from the darkness, and the elf had barely enough time to deflect the jagged piece of ice to one side, so that it tore through the town on their left and vanished, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. Ean leapt back, claws raised but no follow-up spell came.
"Are you okay?" He nodded.
"That didn't even seem aimed at us. It was just... a misfire."
"And we were in the way." Iya finished. "Ice. Ean... do you think..."
"I don't want to think about that. But we have to go see for ourselves."
'Yes, you must." Nuha's voice was closer now, but also weaker, as though some effort was requiring her concentration. "I can hold on for only moments now. Come to the light."
No other words were required. Iya leapt forward, with Ean right behind her, and the two elves ran towards the lights that were flashing and darting amidst the ruined city.
Iya felt it as soon as her feet touched the blackened stones of the square. A comforting sensation, much like that of the other nymphs she had encountered before, washed over her, soothing her worries and fears for a moment. The elf suddenly felt more sure of herself, more wise, and from the look on his face, Ean was feeling the same effects.
"This is her spring." She said softly, taking a hesitant step forward. The lights that had dueled so fiercely minutes prior were gone now, leaving only an empty fountain in the middle of the area. At some point, during the battle, it had cracked, releasing the water to flow back into the earth. Nearby, a lone Goddess statue seemed to hold vigil over the sacred area.
"So, this is where she chose to make her home." Ean murmured. "The oldest part of the city. With age, comes wisdom. But where is she?"
"Nuha?" Iya called out, her anxiety mounting by the second. "We're here! Where are you?"
"Ishtar..." The voice drifted through the air, weak and thready. It was no longer in their heads, but tangible and terrible. "Stop this, sister."
"I will not." A flare of silver light, and the nearest house collapsed into a pile of rubble. As the dust cloud cleared, Ishtar stepped into the dim light for the first time.
The nymph of compassion had a hard, angular beauty to her face, although it was twisted with anger and glee at the moment. Her skin was a light blue, dusted with snowflakes, and the wings on her back glowed an icy white. A limp body dangled from her arm, and she tossed it onto the ground near the fountain.
"Nuha." Iya breathed, panic surging through her body in a horrible wave. She couldn't think, couldn't breathe, she needed to get away-
"It's not real, Iya." For the second time, her mate wrapped his arms around her, and the sensation was enough to jar the elf back to reality. "This already happened, before we were even born. It's a memory."
"The boy is correct." Nuha stirred, raising her head enough so that she could see the two elves. "Ishtar does not know that you are here." Her wings were missing, and her lilac skin was a mass of bruises and cuts. "But you need to see this, Iya. To know your enemy is the peak of wisdom in warfare." She was cut off by the Snow Queen slashing her across the face with a whip ice, drawing even more blood from the wounded nymph.
"Stop!" Iya screamed, but her plea went unanswered. "Why are you doing this?"
"Observe my fate." Nuha said with a small smile. "Only then will you be able to aid me. I'm sorry, Iya Tiki. But it is wise to do what is necessary."
"No more begging from you?" The Snow Queen snarled. "Your fountain is broken, Nuha. You'll never be bonded to this city again."
"Sister..."
"Don't call me that!" The nymph shrieked, backhanding her sibling with all the might she could muster. "I will have no sisters when I am done, and no mother either."
"You and I both know that's impossible. Not even you could kill a nymph, let alone a god." The queen let out a cackle of mad laughter.
"You think I mean death? Oh, no, I have something much worse in store for you. Without Nuha to guide them, humanity will kneel to me in a matter of years." It was hard to see through the blood on her face, but Iya thought Nuha's face turned pale.
"You would not-"
"Oh, I will." The Snow Queen seized her sister by the throat, raising her high over the ruins of her fountain. "You love helping mortals so much? Then you can continue to do so!" Silver light exploded outwards, and the elves were knocked backwards from the force of the shockwave.
And then... silence. Iya scrambled back to her feet, but she could see through the haze of pulverized rock and dirt.
"It can be no other way." Ishtar's voice came from somewhere to her right, and Iya sprinted towards the sound. As she burst free from the dust cloud, she saw Ishtar hovering over the ruined house, clutching a small object in her hand. It was rectangular, with an embossed spine and dozens of pieces of paper in between the covers.
"A book?" Ean rasped from her side. "Where's Nuha?" Iya felt a tear slide down her cheek, cutting through the dirt.
"Farewell, Nuha." Ishtar said, and dropped the tome into the debris. "You can give all the prophecies you want now, but I doubt anyone will listen!" Her form seemed to twist and bend in the air, and then the Snow Queen was gone, leaving fires and death in her wake. Her laugh echoed for a moment through the streets, and all was silent
"She..." Iya gasped, her breathing labored. "She did this. All of it. The nymphs... her own sisters... Ishtar tricked them!" The spell keeping them inside the memory began to fail, and Iya clung to Ean in the middle of a ruined street, sobbing desperately into his shoulder.
"What in the name of Goddess happened to you two? I was about to wake the others to go look for you!" Rye exclaimed when the elves slipped through the door of the inn as the sun began to rise over the horizon. Ean supposed they didn't look very good, what with being covered in dust and grime. Iya said nothing, her face shrouded in the hood of her robes. She had clung to him for hours, crying, and he had let her, knowing there was nothing else he could do.
Seeing Ishtar... No, seeing the Snow Queen like that must have been a terrible shock. And Nuha... The elf shuddered very slightly, but turned to face Iya.
"Let's get changed, yeah?" Her chin dipped almost imperceptibly, and Iya vanished up the stairs.
"You didn't answer me, Ean." Rye said, more quietly. "What happened?"
"I don't have any answers yet." He responded wearily. "But I do know where to look next." The elf said no more, and Rye was kind enough not to pry. Upstairs, he could faintly hear Emma murmuring some comforting words to Iya.
Breakfast was a somber affair, consisting of leftover food that Gavin and Ava managed to heat up with some spells. Ean had already checked their food stores, knowing full well that they had supplies for a few more days, not including the flight back to the mainland.
"No monsters lurking around, as far as we can tell." Jack reported as he came through the door. "I did a quick search from that tower to the east and saw nothing."
It's getting harder to think of him as a boy, and not the young man he's becoming. Ean thanked him, holding out a plate of food that the thief tore into ravenously.
"What's wrong with you?" He asked after a moment, eyes flicking between Ean and Iya. His mate was sitting next to Emma, haphazardly picking at her food, a trait that was most unusual for the prim and proper elf.
"I don't know if-"
"They need to know, Ean." Iya said quietly, her tone flat and dull. "Tell them. I'll be fine." He nodded to her and quickly explained the visions that Nuha had sent to both of them. When the story was finished, the other members of the party had looks of revulsion and fear on their faces.
"She attacked her own sister?" Ava looked pale. "And imprisoned her in a book? That's..."
"Vile." Emma finished. "How could she overcome the other nymphs so easily, though?"
"She surprised them." Iya spoke, startling everyone. Her grey eyes were focused on the table in front of her, and her voice seemed almost distant. "Imagine if your family came to visit, only to stab you in the back when you went to make them tea. Ishtar was never viewed as a threat until she turned on them."
"But even so, to imprison them for decades or centuries... how did she do it?" Gavin asked solemnly. "That kind of power goes beyond even the nymphs."
"We can't worry about that." Ean interjected. "We already knew the Snow Queen was powerful. This just confirms it. Right now, Nuha needs our help."
There was a contemplative silence for a moment.
"I can find her." Iya said at last. "Or at least I can try."
"But, aren't you..." Nicholas trailed off, evidently aware of the shaky ground he was treading.
"I'm not broken, Nic. I'm just shocked, is all. I'll get over it." Ean could hear her trying to infuse her voice with something other than hurt, but not quite succeeding. Still, how could he deny that his mate was doing her utmost to change, just as she had been for months?
She is so much stronger than any of us give her credit for. Facing the one who destroyed your life, but finding the emotional intelligence to mourn for others? Incredible. Their eyes met, and Ean nodded imperceptibly.
"Let's go save Nuha, then."
It took longer than expected for Ean to guide them through the streets of the lost dwarven city. He had no landmarks to go by, and no spiritual voices guiding him through the never-ending roads. Iya hadn't felt anything either, and yet she was still gliding along behind him, face tight and filled with tension.
And then, he began to see signs of the destruction Ishtar had wrought centuries prior. Buildings eviscerated, whole streets torn away, ash covering block after block of what had once been the most advanced city in the world.
"Smells like monsters." Gavin muttered. "Traces of magic still linger here, Ean."
"Be glad you didn't see it." The elf said darkly. "It was like hell."
"So Ishtar summons a horde of monsters, imprisons Nuha, and then what? She leaves?" Emma asked, sword in hand. "Do you think she went back to the mainland?"
"Unfortunately, I don't think anybody is left to tell us." Rye had his bow out, eyes flicking from ruin to ruin. "But-" He was cut off by Iya raising a hand. Ean turned to look at his mate, and saw that her eyes were closed tightly.
"I hear it..." Her staff quivered slightly in her grip, as though it were trying to leap free. "Ean, can you feel it too?"
"I hear nothing." The elf waved for the others to stop moving. "What does it sound like?"
"Singing... just one person. They sound sad." Her face was still screwed up, and he could see both pain and sympathy etched on Iya's face.
"Can you find them?"
"I... I think so." Her song orb from the Butterfly School flashed above her staff for a moment, a bright pink light that seemed to drift in a certain direction. "Aura Song." Iya breathed, and began moving in a seemingly random direction. Ean followed, and he heard the rest of the party scrambling to keep up.
A spell to detect presences? Her magic seems to get stronger with every day that passes. And once Nuha blesses her... how powerful will she become then? Is there even a limit? The thought was one that Ean knew all too well. After all, his own powers had threatened to consume him at several points already. No, I won't think about that... no matter how much magic she possesses, Iya will still be the same elf I know. I'm sure of it.
The next few minutes were a frantic chase, with the rest of party trying to keep up with Iya as she ran through the desolated streets. The elf followed the light of the spell she was casting, to the point where she was leaping over piles of rubble and moving quick enough that Ean was forced to draw on Vincent's latent abilities to keep pace.
A moment later, the party emerged onto a familiar square. It contained a large marble fountain that had been cracked and shattered, bordered by houses in a similar state. The only thing that had survived, strangely enough, was the Goddess statue that Ean had glimpsed in the visions Nuha had sent.
"Iya, where-"
"It's close." She murmured, moving towards one of the ruined houses. "She's close. I... I..." The spell collapsed, and Iya dropped like a stone. Ean, caught unawares, lunged forward and barely seized his mate before she hit the ground.
"Iya!" Rye and Emma came sprinting across the square, followed closely by the others.
"She's fine." Ean said, biting down on a territorial growl. "Just drained herself with that spell." In his arms, Iya stirred slightly, opening her eyes and pointing towards the edge of the square.
"House... on the corner."
"We'll handle that. Just wait here." The elf told her, trying to keep his voice gentle and soothing. "Guys, you heard her. We need to search that house. Grab anything that looks out of place."
"I got it. Come on." Rye muttered some instructions to the others, and they departed, leaving Ean and Iya alone next to the ruined fountain.
"I'm sorry." His mate finally whispered, the words floating up into the blue sky. "I didn't mean to push so hard, or to fall apart, or-"
"I know." Ean whispered, and his lips brushed her forehead. "It's a terrible thing to bear."
"I just... Seeing her true face... there was so much of the Snow Queen present. It was like seeing two people in the same body." He stayed silent, letting her speak. "And for a moment, I felt like I was back there, under her control. She used spells on me, Ean, to keep me as her little pet."
"I know, Iya. I know all of these things."
"For a while, it was easy to pretend like it never happened. The others think I'm strong. Only you know the truth, that I'm broken on the inside. Only you saw how truly corrupted Ishtar has become. What if we go to fight, and I freeze up?" Her voice was even lower now. "What if I fail?"
"I can't tell you what will happen. Only that it's your choice, Iya. It will always be your choice."
"And if my choice was to flee? To run away from this land?" Tears glistened on the elf's cheeks, but her voice was cold and challenging.
"Then I would go with you. You are my mate, Iya. But you wouldn't do that, would you?" Their eyes met, and she looked away.
"No. Never."
"I know." Ean whispered, and kissed her on the mouth. When the pair broke away, slightly out of breath, he saw tinges of pink on Iya's cheeks.
"Not that I'm complaining, but what was that for?"
"I wanted to show you that I care. That I'm going to be with you every step of the way, even to our last battle with Ishtar. You won't be facing her alone, Iya. All of us will be there." The elf nodded slightly, rubbing her eyes with her palms.
"Thank you, Ean." She rose, gripping her staff tightly just as Jack burst out of the ruined house.
"We found something! Come quick!" The elves exchanged one last look, then sprinted towards the house.
The rest of the party was gathered inside, perched on pieces of rubble or else standing out of the way. As Ean entered, he immediately saw what Jack had been talking about. A small, leather-bound book lay in a corner where two walls met, it's appearance grubby and dusty. The only sign that it was more important was the magical barrier that surrounded it, gleaming slightly in the dim light. From time to time, color flickered across the circular bubble, and Ean could see that although the roof had all but caved in, the book was intact.
"It rebuffed us." Gavin put in. "Me and Nicholas both tried to probe it with our magic, but nothing happened."
"It needs a song." Iya pronounced, stepping forward and setting her staff gently to one side. The elf knelt, just outside the barrier, and placed her hands on either side. And then, she began to hum, a low note that resonated through the room. Her song orb, the original one she had received from the Oracle, shimmered into existence, floating just over her head. Ean could hear, ever so faintly, a song that came from the sphere, enchanting and beautiful. From the looks on their faces, the others could hear it too.
There was a cracking sound, and the barrier dissolved into thousands of tiny shards, which glimmered and disappeared, leaving the book upon the ground. Iya touched it, and Ean saw her hands trembling.
"Nuha?" The cover of the book opened, and the others watched in amazement as words began to scrawl across the page.
"You have done well, all of you, to find me here."
"I'm sorry." Iya whispered. "I couldn't help you before."
"It is I who should apologize, for making you relive that memory. There was nothing you could have done, little one. I take it Eredar is somewhat intact, then?" Ean gestured out of the house, and Iya followed him, still holding the book gently. The others followed, transfixed by the talking book.
"It is mostly whole, Nuha." Ean said. "Perhaps one day the dwarves can return."
"The dwarves were merely the last inhabitants of my island. There are... well, were, others before them. But tell me, how fares the quest? You seek a weapon, yes?"
"There's rumors of a weapon to take down the barrier surrounding Shaenlir." Iya told the trapped nymph. "Uthar and Ella, the rulers of the resistance, thought it would be here. You don't know, then?"
"Regrettably, no. I suppose I must divulge some of my information. Then we can discuss how to restore me to my form."
The party assembled around the ruins of Nuha's fountains, finding seats on the large chunks of rubble. Iya still held the book tightly in her hands, as if afraid it would vanish if she released it.
"The prophecies tell of the day where the last song mage would come to defeat the queen of ice, but I never imagined that it would be one of my sisters." Nuha's words flickered quickly across the page, before vanishing back into the paper. "She will have raised defenses around the city much like the ones around Eredar, but stronger. They prevent anyone from leaving or entering. You have guessed, I presume, about the coming winter?"
"If Ishtar draws her power from the cold and snow, the next winter would give her a tremendous boost to her abilities." Gavin put in. "Such a thing reminds me of dark spells, one that not even my hometown dared to cast."
"You are correct, warlock. It would be possible to subdue her during the winter, but the risks would be far greater. In addition, all of the other kingdoms would likely be frozen over before the battle was concluded."
"So we go before winter comes in full." Rye said, shifting in his seat. "Do you know what day that is, Nuha?"
"I do not. Her powers are changing the very seasons with their strength. If I were freed, I would have access to my full knowledge once again."
"And that's the problem, isn't it?" Ean frowned. "You've been turned into a book. Is there any sort of spell that would reverse those effects? Gavin, maybe you've heard of something like that?" The warlock shook his head.
"The nymphs have powers unlike the rest of us. We rely on energy to cast our spells, but they have some other method entirely."
"This is also true." Nuha wrote. "We can still be tired, but our spells do not take stamina like the mortal races have. And as for freeing me, I am also unsure. Tell me, is the book I am contained in empty?"
"Yes, it is. Your words appear and then fade after a few seconds." Iya said, flipping through the pages.
"I feared as much. My theory is that Ishtar stripped me of my extensive knowledge, hence the reason for a blank book. I can only assume that filling in the book with the pertinent information would help, but I know of nobody alive who would know even a fraction of it."
"If that's the case, we should return to Thais." Nicholas gestured at the book lying in Iya's lap. "Surely all of our scholars combined could do something."
"I fear that may be the only choice. But you cannot leave without finding your weapon. And so, I will tell you of the true inhabitant of Eredar, and my first followers."
"What I tell you is the truth: this land was once inhabited by squirrels, large as a man and capable of speech. In fact, they were far more intelligent than most races. When I had discovered this, I came to this island immediately to meet them. They were most pleased, and showed me their tunnels beneath the vast mountain ranges. It was there that they kept their most ancient secrets, ones hidden enough that even I do not know them."
"And so... you think that they knew of this weapon?" Ean asked, eyebrows raised. "Giant squirrels... hm."
"I gave them my patronage, and they flourished for a time. But then the dwarves came, and they attracted monsters to the islands as well. Wherever mortals go, the supernatural must appear. It is the order of the world. And my squirrels were caught in the battle, only to be eradicated forever. If any of them still walk the planet, they are not here. But the knowledge remains, and I would like to think that they would wish you to have it."
When her words had faded, Ean looked at the others. They all seemed quite shocked, until Jack chuckled.
"Giant squirrels? Sure, why not? If they can help us, I say we go."
"But where are these tunnels? We don't have the time or power to dig through a mountain." Emma pointed out. "We originally planned to be gone for a month, and we've nearly run out of time before we must return to Thais."
"Nuha, where are these tunnels?" Ean asked.
"There are many access points, but the closest would be hidden on the plains at the base of these mountains, deep within a ravine. No monster could get down there without being detected by their spells."
Ean and Rye's eyes met, and they nodded in unison. They both knew the location, having crossed such a ravine as they journeyed towards the mountain.
"Would this be that area with all the strange rock formations?"
"Indeed, the Littlerock Plains, as they are called. You must descend to the bottom of the ravine. From there, a song should suffice to dispel the magic keeping the tunnels hidden."
"And what do you think we'll find?" Ean asked, sensing that the conversation was coming to a close. From Iya's alarmed expression, he could tell that they were both sensing the ebb of Nuha's energy.
"I am not sure. But you will know when you find it. I must rest now... I feel drained of energy. Speaking in this fashion is tiring."
"Go and sleep, Nuha." Iya said softly. "We'll take care of things." The last words erased themselves from the page, and the nymph was gone.
"So... back to the plains?" Emma asked after a moment. Ean closed his eyes, concentrated, and called for Beregond. He heard a roar in the back of his mind, and knew the dragon was approaching.
"I think so. Even if there isn't a weapon, finding some ancient knowledge is sure to be helpful. Objections?" Iya shook her head as she gently wrapped Nuha's tome in cloth and placed it in her pack. The others made similar motions as they stood, preparing to move.
Overhead, Beregond's shape emerged from the clouds and plummeted downwards. For a moment, Ean feared he would not be able to land, but the dragon soared through the area where the wards had been, landing in the square with a grinding, crunching sound.
As the others boarded, Ean glanced upwards towards the sky. Although the sun was shining brightly, the elf could not help but feel that it cast a shadow over all of them, looming just out of sight.
Emma flicked her shield to one side, deflecting an arrow that would have hit Jack. The missile bounced to one side, over Beregond's wing and out of sight. She could see the plains ahead of them, still a fair distance away, and cursed quietly. As the party had flown down the mountain, the harpies had decided to ambush them roughly halfway to the bottom. Beregond was mostly immune to their arrows, and so the monsters had swirled around, firing shots at the passengers on his back.
"Thanks!" Jack called and flung his enchanted knife at the offender. It tried to dodge, but the blade swerved in midair and sliced through its sinewy neck. The harpy fell, and the weapon returned to the teenager's hand a moment later.
"Everyone okay?" Rye shouted, still engaged in his own deadly duel with a pair of harpies. Gavin had thrown up a barrier around himself, Nicholas, and Ava, and was now busy chanting incantations from a scroll in his hand. Ean had already taken flight as a griffin, while Iya was doing her best to prevent the monsters from shooting Beregond in the eyes or ears.
"Just another day in paradise! Stay down!" The last phrase was directed at Jack, who ducked below the rim of the saddle as Emma half-walked, half-crawled towards Iya, who was still concentrating fiercely on her own enemies. By the knight's estimate, there were still a dozen harpies pursuing them, with three or four times that number lagging behind.
"They know about Nuha!" Iya snarled, flicking her wrist to send a howling mass of air at the closest beast. It dodged, but the maneuver left it open, and Rye sent an arrow through both of its wings.
"How? Do you think she knows, then?"
"Unfortunately, yes. These harpies are far more aggressive than usual. The Snow Queen must have sent them here in hopes of stopping us."
"Well, that was a mistake." Emma grinned fiercely, blocking another arrow. "Doesn't she know how strong we are?" As if to emphasize her point, Ean came gliding down from above and ripped two harpies to shreds. The dance of the monsters wavered, and Gavin let out a cry from behind them. Thick purple mist burst into being around them, tendrils of it snaking out to touch the nearest enemy. Immediately, the enemies began to wither away, and the two women watched in horror as Gavin's curse evaporated the harpies before their eyes. There was a brief pause before the survivors turned and fled, streaking back towards the safety of the larger group.
A flash of red light, and Ean alit upon the saddle, breathing hard.
"I'm alright." He waved Iya off, who looked concerned. "Just out of breath. There's not much air to fly up here. Is everyone else okay?"
"We're all good." Emma told him, sheathing her sword. "Can we make it down before they come back?"
"Yeah, Beregond says we're right above the ravine. Tell the others to strap in."
The warrior crawled back down the length of the saddle, informed the others, and secured herself just as their dragon tilted into a dive. Emma turned back to see that the harpies were little more than specks, silhouetted by the setting sun.
When they finally landed, it was with a gentle thud as Beregond set down on a grassy hill. Ahead of them, Emma could see the same ravine they had glimpsed on their previous expeditions through the plains. The crack in the earth was smaller than expected, maybe twenty feet wide.
"I still say that was a reckless thing to do." Ava's voice floated down from above her, where the pirate was dismounting from the saddle. "Casting a spell from some random scroll?"
"Worked, didn't it?" Gavin replied dryly, although Emma thought she could hear a hint of humor in the deep voice. "And for the record, I understood about sixty percent of that spell. Plenty safe."
"Sixty?" The woman sounded incredulous. "You mean-?"
Rye nudged her with an elbow, and she glanced at him. The ranger gestured upwards, rolled his eyes, and grinned. The smile was infectious, and she felt forced to give one in return.
"I saw that, Rye."
"Oh, by all means, don't let me interrupt your tender conversation. Sixty percent, was it?" Gavin threw a pebble at him, and Nicholas snorted.
"I wager that's more than the warlock normally understands." The prince's head appeared over the edge of the saddle, and he tossed a bag down to Ava.
"How droll, your highness." Gavin said bitingly, but the man merely smirked. Jack was watching the scene with a barely concealed smile, while Iya and Ean were looking towards the ravine, speaking in low voices. Rye tapped the pair of them on the shoulder, and they looked up. Immediately, both elves shifted to make room for the man, who fit comfortably between them.
He fits so naturally with them. No wonder he was convinced to come on the quest. They look more like a family than anything else.
"Alright, everyone, stop poking fun at Gavin, please." Ean said amusedly. The warlock sighed, but his mouth tilted upwards nonetheless. Emma heard Ava chuckle quietly, and she was struck by a sudden thought.
I wonder... no, no way! I refuse to believe it!
"The ravine looks passable, thankfully." The elf in charge continued. "Jack, you still have those ropes in your bag?"
"Right here, Ean. The merchant in Happily Ever After told me they were magical, so they shouldn't break. Maybe." The young man added as an afterthought.
"Good. It doesn't look like I can fit down the bottom in my griffin form, so we'll have to climb. Everyone ready?" Ean split them up, placing Jack, Nicholas, and Rye with himself. This left Iya, Ava, Emma, and Gavin in the second group, which would climb down behind the first. The idea was that the first group could set the ropes in place, making it easier for the last four people to climb down. Iya was going first, to make sure nobody else fell.
When they arrived at the edge of the ravine, Emma peered over apprehensively. It was dark enough that she couldn't see the bottom, due to the walls narrowing considerably about fifty feet down.
"Ready?" Ean asked, holding a coil of rope in his free hand. "See you at the bottom!" The elf leapt over the edge, trailing rope behind him, and vanished from sight. A moment later, Emma heard him strike the wall, and his rope drew tight.
"Honestly." Iya muttered. "He likes this kind of stuff too much."
"Was he like this as a child?" Ava's question made Emma picture a miniature version of Ean climbing a tree, while a young Iya scolded him from the bottom.
"If anything, it was worse. He always had a way of finding the oddest places to explore on the island, and of dragging me with him." The light-haired elf seemed distant, her eyes focused on something the others could not see. "I think he meant to help me, by keeping me away from... from..." The other women pretended not to notice as Iya trailed off.
"Sorry to bring it up." Emma said after a moment, touching her friend's shoulder. "Sounds to me like you two were made for each other. Kind of like Ava and Gavin here."
Ava choked, and there was a spluttering sound as Gavin nearly fell over the lip of the ravine where he had been checking the ropes. Iya did not smile, but her eyes shone with amusement as she winked at Emma.
"What in the name of the Goddess was that for?" Gavin panted. "I almost slipped!"
"Very much agreed. No... just no." Ava swatted at Emma, a scowl on her face, but the knight ducked away, seizing a rope.
"I'll just head on down now. You guys have fun!" And without another word, she slid over the edge and into the precipice.
Honestly, I'm not sure if that was necessary, but it was funny. I'm sure Rye would agree. The knight had practiced rappelling up and down walls during her training under Uthar, so the ravine wasn't much of a challenge. If she was being honest, she much preferred this to the platforms that had lifted them up the mountain yesterday.
Emma's boots touched dirt, and she looked down. She had reached the point where walls narrowed and formed a small platform. Ean's group had already anchored another rope, so she moved forward to keep going. Above her, she could make out Iya's hair as the elf began the descent.
The next part of the climb was a lot darker and slippery, due to the condensation on the walls. At one point, she glanced down to see lights gleaming at the bottom, the lanterns Ean had set up when he arrived.
At last, she touched down on solid, cold rock, and Emma looked around. As it turned out, the lights at the bottom were not from Ean, but from gleaming gems set within the walls at regular intervals. Some unknown force made them emit a soft amber light, illuminating the walls and floor around her. When she glanced up, Emma found that she could only see a thin crack of blue sky above, and shivered unconsciously.
"I can see how squirrels could just climb up and down." Rye said, his voice echoing slightly from behind her. "No monsters, too."
"See any tunnels or doors?" Ean asked Jack, who emerged into the dim light from who knew where. His teeth glowed oddly white in the light as he grinned. The thief was clearly loving every second of this.
"Nothing obvious, but Nuha said we'd need Iya, right?"
A few minutes later, the rest of the party had descended the ropes and assembled at the rocky bottom of the ravine. Ava and Gavin still looked shellshocked from Emma's statement, but the knight decided she had said enough.
"Chilly down here." Nicholas remarked. "I suppose it was too much to ask for them to heat the place?"
"Squirrels do well in the cold, don't they?" Jack asked, and Ean shrugged.
"Don't know. I've never seen one. Far as I'm aware, there weren't any in the Vale."
They rounded the corner of the twisting caves, following the gemlights, and Iya held up a hand.
"Did anyone else hear that? It was like the walls were growling." The others shook their heads. "Ean?"
"I sensed nothing." The elf murmured, looking around. "Try a spell?" Iya held out her staff, tracing it over the rock wall to the left. It made a faint scraping sound, and she frowned.
"Through here... but it's closed. It won't open normally for me."
"You think there's a lever of some type to open it?" Rye asked, examining the surface closely. "It doesn't look different than any other point down here."
"It requires a song." Iya mused. "Stand back for a moment. And cover your ears" Emma retreated back down the passage, followed closely by Rye and Ean. When they were around a corner, the warrior heard Iya begin to hum under her breath. It was a quick, snappy beat, and the walls were suddenly aglow with yellow light. Half a moment later, the elf shouted, and a deafening roar exploded into being. Chunks of rocks flew past, some striking her helmet, and Emma crouched, pulling out her shield to protect the others. Rocks groaned, collapsed, and all was still.
Dust filled the passageway for a moment, but Iya waved her hand and sent a gust of wind to disperse it. Her palm still glowed with yellow light, and behind her, Emma could see a massive hole rent through the rock, as though it had been struck by a very large fist.
"What... was that?" Jack coughed and laughed at the same time. "Did you punch a hole in the wall?"
"That was the Strike Song. To be honest, I didn't know that would happen. Sorry." Iya said with a smile.
"Did it work ?" Ean said, moving to the hole. He sucked in a breath, and Emma moved to look. Iya's spell had blown through into a large cavern, filled with glowing gemstones of all colors. There was enough light to see as the party filed in, awestruck by the sight.
"This must be it." Gavin breathed. "I see marks of excavation there and there." He gestured to areas where tunnels had been carved, leading out of the cavern. There was a loud crunching sound, and everyone turned to see Jack lifting his foot off the ground. Dangling from the edge of his shoe was something dusty and white, and it fell to the ground with a clatter.
"Uh... guys? I stepped on a skeleton. And it doesn't look human, either." Iya moved forward, eyes flicking around the cave.
"I hear the growling again." And then Emma could hear it too, a low rumble that reverberated in her chest. With a flick of her wrist, her sword appeared in her hand, and she turned towards the closest tunnel. In the darkness beyond, she could see two luminescent orbs bobbing up and down rhythmically. Another growl shook the air, and she froze.
"What is that?" Gavin said softly, backing up a step. And then there was roar, and the creature exploded into the cave with a vengeance.
"Get back!" Ean shouted, and there was flash of red light as the werebear seized Jack by the collar and leapt away. The others fled as well, diving behind stalagmites as the body of the monsters came into view. It was long, with yellow scales along the length of the sinewy body. Its head had sapphire frills that jutted out from either side, and the eyes were a piercing black. Fangs jutted from the oversized snake's mouth, and it hissed furiously, evidently upset at being disturbed. Emma and Rye were crouched behind a rock wall, and the ranger reached for an arrow.
"It's a cobra!" Gavin shouted from somewhere to her right. "Don't look it in the eyes, whatever you do! And-" He was cut off as the snake lunged, and the warlock dove to one side as the snake's teeth pierced directly through his cover like paper. There was a clap of thunder, and the serpent reeled back.
Emma took a quick peek around her barrier, and saw the others scattered across the cave as the monster screeched, the skin around its face smoking.
"Well, partner?" Rye said, and she turned back to see him grinning fiercely, several arrows clutched in his left hand. The heads were bulbous instead of sharp, with wide fins instead of feathers. "I put these beauties together while we were at the observatory. Haven't had a chance to test them yet."
"And what do they do?" She hissed back.
"You'll see. Come on, let's go." The cobra had recovered from the lighting strike and whirled to face the warlock, venom dripping ominously from its long fangs. Rye drew back one of his new arrows, checked his aim, and released.
The effect was immediate. The arrow struck the snake on the side of the head and exploded, blasting away one of the frills that adorned the scales. The monster swayed, and Emma charged out across the hard stone of the cavern. There was a flash of steel, and her blade severed the snake's tail five feet from the end, and it howled in pain. The knight managed to get her shield up, but the whip-like blow of the snake's body sent her skidding back several feet, and Emma was forced to dive away as poison melted the space where her body had been.
Another clap of thunder, and Ava's sword was there, slashing and darting at the opposite flank. Iya was also hurling spells across the cave, and for a moment, it seemed that victory was inevitable. But then the snake turned to face her, and Emma felt the full effect of the piercing glare. The red eyes seemed to pervade her very being, staring into her soul and forcing her to submit. Dimly, she was aware that Rye and Gavin were similarly bound, but Emma's arms would not move. She was locked in place, unable to think or breathe. Ava cursed, still hacking at the snake, but to no avail. The mouth opened wide, and a void descended upon her.
A bellow shook the cave, and the form of the behemoth smashed into the snake, slamming it into the wall with such force that rock rained down from the ceiling. Ean pounded the serpent into the wall repeatedly, each strike causing black blood to pour from the beast. Emma blinked slowly. She felt sluggish, and her head moved slowly to look around. The rest of the party were gathered on Rye and Gavin, who had apparently fallen to the ground.
Rye... hurt? There was a cold sensation in her stomach, and Emma's thoughts cleared abruptly. Her rage boiled, and she let out a war cry as she charged the snake. Ean saw her coming and spun, pinning the monster's head to the floor as the knight took her sword in a two-handed grip, raising it high.
"Get out of my head." She spat, and brought the blade crashing down.
"Emma? Can you hear me?" Iya shook her friend gently by the shoulder, and the knight blinked.
"Yeah... is it dead?" The elf glanced over at the body of the massive snake, which was now missing a head. Black blood was pooling under the body and spreading across the cavern, giving off an awful smell.
"You could say that."
"What about Rye? And Gavin?" Emma sat bolt upright, but her body visibly relaxed when she saw them standing. "Oh, thank the Goddess. It's eyes..."
"Some sort of curse." Nicholas said as he knelt down beside her. A soft white light washed over, and she felt her exhaustion recede slightly. "There's a reason cobras were hunted to near extinction by the kingdoms a century or two ago." The prince double-checked to make sure she was alright, before letting her get up and join the others. Ean gave her a nod when she arrived.
"That was a good swing, Emma."
"I'm just hoping there aren't any more down here." The knight groused as the rest of the party gathered around.
"Me neither." Gavin shuddered. "That wasn't any normal cobra that I've seen. Their gaze will typically stun you, but that one was fifty time worse." His eyes flicked over to the dissolving corpse of the monster.
"If there are, we'll use the same strategy." Ean told them. "I'll pin it down so that we can behead it. My behemoth form is immune to most poisons, probably because the skin is so thick. Now, let's go see what's down that tunnel, shall we?"
Almost immediately, Iya was forced to summon a light so that she could see where she was walking. The caverns were cool, and water dripped from the ceiling in various places.
"I haven't seen any other routes." Jack whispered to her at one point. "It's just this one path. Do you think they caved in?"
"I'm not sure." The elf responded, sending another ball of energy to illuminate where the passage turned. "Not getting lost sounds great to me."
As they rounded the corner, Ean stopped.
"Would you look at that?" Ahead, the tunnel opened up into a massive grotto, complete with a large pool of water in the center. Lily pads floated on the surface, bobbing gently, and there were crystals set at intervals around the edge. The elf waited for a moment, as if checking for danger, but nothing emerged.
"Water's clean." Gavin said, his eyes flickering with the effects of a spell. "Maybe this was their reservoir? The gems on the edge are linked via some sort of spell, but I can't make heads or tails of it."
Come... closer... Iya's head snapped up, and she looked around.
"I hear something again... voices. They said that we were close."
Closer... the promised one... elfling...
Iya bowed her head, focusing on the musical voice. Immediately, it was as though she could see a trail, leading to her left and vanishing into the rock.
"Over here." Her footsteps echoed in the sudden silence as the elf laid her hand upon the rock wall, concentrating. She could see the lines of magic forming strange symbols upon the wall. With a burst of effort, she made them visible, and Gavin sucked in a breath.
"Now that is interesting. I've seen runes like these in other places, but never here." His hands flew across the pages of his journal, clearly trying to sketch the image. "Can you interact with them?"
"One moment." The magic here was much stronger than the spells concealing the initial entrance, and Iya was forced to begin unraveling the lines one by one. It was akin to having many melodies played at the same time, and picking a specific one from the mix. After a minute or two, she rearranged the last notes to be in their proper place, and the rock wall simply vanished.
"Hey, that's new." Rye said. The passageway that had had appeared was tiled, with walls of smooth marble that were carved with hundreds of images. There were more gems to provide light, and Iya took a step forward. The voices immediately vanished, and she looked at Ean.
"This way. We're close." The party filed into the new tunnel, and the rock wall appeared in place behind them.
"I'm assuming you can let us out?" Emma asked, her voice somewhat nervous.
"Ideally, there'll be another way out of here." Gavin responded. "I know I don't want to climb all the way out of here."
"We're here." Ean announced suddenly, and everybody stopped. The hall ended in front of them, accompanied by a large pairs of wooden doors. "Are the rest of you ready?"
"Born ready." Gavin said, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
"I have to admit, I am interested in seeing this library." Nicholas murmured. Ean grinned at them, and with a slight effort, pushed the doors open. Iya's eyes widened.
The room within was a treasure trove so vast, she could have spent the rest of her life inside, and still not have discovered all of the secrets. The layout was circular, with shelves upon shelves of books, artifacts, and other objects resting upon them, preserved for untold amounts of time. Overhead, Iya could see that the ceiling was made of glass, showing that there were at least five more levels of the same type above her. It was... well, there weren't words of sufficient import to describe it.
Gavin let out a choked breath.
"No way." He said in a reverent tone. The others were similarly entranced, even Ava, who had little interest in such things. They stood there for several minutes before Ean roused himself.
"Okay... Remember, we're looking for weapon plans. I say we only take what we need, and leave the rest."
"Agreed." Rye said. "The items in here are probably beyond our comprehension anyways. Emma and I will search the upper levels." The ranger moved towards the stairs, followed by the green-haired woman.
"Gavin?" Ean asked with a smile, and the warlock blinked.
"Sorry. Just trying to take it all in. I can search the second floor. Ava, you in?" The pirate nodded wordlessly, and they went up the stairs as well.
"Guess that leaves us down here." Ean said to the remaining three people. "Let's try not to touch anything that might be fragile." They spread out, each one inspecting a different corner of the room.
Iya perused a bookshelf, her eyes flicking over each spine. Many of them had been embossed with gold, and at least half were written in languages she didn't understand. There were novels, encyclopedias, anthologies, and many more that the elf knew contained fantastic secrets lost to mortals.
As she walked, a painting caught her eye. It was expertly crafted, with oil that flowed smoothly across the canvas. She could see five squirrels in the middle of the image, each sitting as a sixth squirrel wearing a strange hat spoke. The background was not in the library, but in front of some large grey structure that looked like metal.
"Weird painting." Ean commented from behind her, and Iya smiled slightly. She had sensed her mate long before he had spoken, but he didn't have to know that.
"Maybe they're warriors." The elf mused. "But who can tell? You found nothing, I presume." Ean nodded.
"I figured we could-" But before he could finish, Rye came bounding down the stairs.
"Come quickly! I think we've found it!" Iya exchanged a quick glance with Ean, her heart beginning to pound, and the two elves moved swiftly towards the stairs.
Could it be?
Three floors up, they found Gavin, Ava, and Emma all inspecting a marble column that had been set into the center of the circular room. A film of transparent material surrounded it, sealing the contents away.
"Look." Gavin said, gesturing to a small bronze plague that had been set into the surface of the glassy veil. Iya knelt to inspect it.
Ordain of Nuha – Ean Okho/Iya Tiki – Time Unclear
"But that's... that's us." Ean said softly, turning to look at Iya. There was no words to express her feelings, so she merely nodded.
"I think that confirms it." Rye said solemnly. "You two really are the ones this land has been waiting for. I always thought it, but..."
"It was never confirmed." Gavin finished, his face more serious than any Iya had seen in the recent weeks. "Well, now it is. You two are meant to have whatever is inside."
"I... I can't say this is what I expected." Iya whispered. "This is..." Her mate gave her another long look, then turned to the others.
"Can the rest of you wait below? We need some time to think." Nicholas made to object, but Ava shook her head at the prince. Iya knelt, still looking at the plaque that had decided her future centuries ago as the footsteps of the others faded away.
"I'd love to know what you're thinking." There was a small movement, and the gentle pressure of an arm surrounded her shoulders.
"I'm not sure what to think. It's hard to grasp the concept of having everything predetermined by some greater force."
"Yeah. It's a burden, huh? A weight that gets heavier and heavier with every moment that passes." Iya nodded slightly, eyes still fixed upon the engraved names.
"I'm happy that it's you, Ean. Even if... even if..." I'm not going to cry again. I'm not. "Even if you never had a choice." The elf next to her shifted.
"I don't believe in this, Iya. Us being here, the steps we took to come to Eredar, they weren't set in stone."
"But the plaque... Nuha saw this, didn't she?"
"Maybe, but I have another theory." The words made Iya's head turn, and she looked away from the column to see her mate smiling gently.
His eyes are brown, the way they've always been. And yet, they're so much more than that. I can see every emotion hiding beneath the surface.
"Well?" Iya asked in a small voice.
"You and I were born in the Vale. It wasn't fated for Ishtar to come and take you. Why would she, if she knew it was the action that would lead to her downfall? I could have chosen to forget you, Iya. But I didn't. None of our actions were predetermined, but I think that you and I are so predictable that it hardly matters. Would I ever make the choice to abandon you, knowing I love you more than anything in this world?" Ean's cheeks flushed slightly, but he wasn't finished. "Could you have abandoned this land, Iya?"
"No." The word came from her mouth immediately, unbidden. "Never, Ean. Just like I could never leave you. It would be the death of me."
"And yet, we've walked blindly forward, accepting that we would have to confront Ishtar at some point. But some unknown fate didn't determine that. We did. Because you and I could never leave the others to fend for themselves, could we? And now, we've come to another choice. We can take whatever is behind this barrier, or we can leave it. But whatever we do, we must make the choice ourselves. What do you want to do?" The elves stared at each other for a long moment.
He's right. What other decision could I make here? If everything I've done was only to reach this point in time, there is only thing I can do that would be right.
Iya reached out, and Ean's larger fingers twined around her smaller ones.
"Do it together?"
"Yeah." The pair pressed their connected hands to the barrier, and it faded away. The column shuddered and began to crumble away, leaving a single item suspended in the a single motion, Ean and Iya swept the scroll from the ruined column, leaving only the bits of marble scattered across the floor.
"I choose this." Iya said softly. "I choose to save Ishtar, or die trying."
"That," Ean murmured, and his eyes were dancing with pride and love. "is my Iya."
They remained there for a few seconds, their fingers still wrapped around the weapon that could decided everything, until Iya pulled away.
"Keep it safe, Ean." Her mate nodded, holding the rolled paper in his hands. As one, they rose and descended the stairs. The others were waiting at the bottom, and Rye smiled slightly as they approached.
"You got them?" Iya nodded, and smiled at the people who had become irreplaceable in her new life.
"Let's go home."