Chapter 33:
It was the middle of the night, and Elwin was lying awake in bed. For the past week, he could not sleep. Every time he closed his eyes, he was back in the clearing with Celdia. His new skill meant that he couldn't feel fear, but he still felt something deep in the pit of his stomach.
"I am here to talk if you want," said Filvis, floating in front of him.
"Did you ever have sleepless nights?" asked Elwin.
Filvis nodded. "I spent countless nights wracked with guilt. If you like, I can give you some advice. I have some habits that I developed. But first, you need to get dressed."
Elwin hopped out of bed. As he slipped on his robes, Filvis waited nearby. Most of the time, she was sarcastic and a little bit irritable. But now, she was relaxed. She seemed to have made peace with her situation.
"So, what do we do now?"
Filvis gestured outside. "You have a lot of nervous energy that you need to burn off. I usually did so with training."
Elwin nodded. He walked outside to find a blanket of stars overhead and the moon hanging in the sky. He gazed at it appreciatively before he felt ghost Filvis try to poke him in the shoulder.
"We did not come here to gaze at the stars."
Elwin nodded before putting his staff in the ready position. He set his feet apart and started swinging. As he duelled his imaginary opponent, he saw Filvis gradually frown more and more. Eventually, he stopped.
"What am I doing wrong?"
Filvis shrugged. "If it's humans that you're fighting, then you are fine. But none of these moves would work on monsters."
Elwin nodded along. He had imagined a human opponent for his shadow duel.
"So, what should I do differently?"
Filvis walked over, her feet gliding across the ground. She squatted down and pointed at his feet. "You need a stronger stance." She stood back up to look him in the eye. "You intend to protect our Lefiya, correct?"
Elwin nodded.
"Then, you need to have a better stance for receiving impacts. In many cases, monsters will knock you off your feet with their sheer size." Filvis was quiet for a second. "Besides, you have to be ready. The Sun Seekers are still coming."
Elwin shivered. The sight of his own heart flashed in front of his eyes. There was Celdia's smile and the great big tree. Filvis's hand touched his shoulder, and he came back to the clearing.
"I don't want you to die either," said the she-elf.
She smiled, and Elwin smiled back.
He returned to his room a little bit later. The sleep went well, but not as well as the night of the party.
That night, Elwin did not feel like drinking. He was tired, and he knew himself. His mood had been particularly sour that day. So, he stayed away from the bottle. Sitting on either side were Riveria and Lefiya. They had noticed his mood and were trying to comfort him.
"If you want, we can leave," offered Lefiya.
She reached out to place a comforting hand on his shoulder. At that moment, the little elf forgot her own despair to help someone she cared about. Elwin almost shied away but was stopped by Riveria. The high elf had seemed to notice Elwin's reluctance to talk to Lefiya. When Elwin turned back, he came face to face with Lefiya's pained expression. The half-elf sighed but took Lefiya's arm. He walked her into the Hostess of Fertility's backyard. When they stopped, Elwin turned to face her. Lefiya reached out to take his other hand, and the two of them stood there in the darkness.
"I know what the other skill does," said Elwin.
Lefiya tilted her head. "You mean the second soul one?"
Elwin nodded. As he nodded, Filvis puffed into existence next to him with wide eyes.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" she asked.
Elwin looked her in the eye and nodded. Lefiya turned her head to look where he was and found nothing. Her eyes turned back to him, filled with confusion.
Elwin closed his eyes and let out a long breath. He reopened his eyes and looked Lefiya in the eye. He knew it had been happening for a while now, but now he really understood what was going on. Elwin was falling in love with the little elf. He was falling for the way she pretended not to care about things. He fell for the way she got irritated by the most minor inconvenience. And he was head over heels about how open her heart was to everyone around her.
"Lefiya, when Filvis gave me her magic stone, a part of her came with it," explained Elwin. "Some part of Filvis's consciousness is in me now. I see her ghost and hear her voice in my head."
Lefiya frowned. "That's not funny. I know that things aren't easy for you right now, but you don't get to be cruel."
Elwin shook his head. "I'm not lying, I promise. She's standing close by." At Lefiya's skeptical expression and raised eyebrow, he looked over at Filvis. "What can I tell her to convince her?"
Filvis mulled the thought over. Then, the ghost blushed.
"Tell her about our promise…to see the lights of the Wishe Forest. Tell her…"
And Elwin repeated the vow word for word. He said everything that Filvis told him to. At first, Lefiya was still confused. But slowly, things started to click. She brought her hands to her mouth, and tears formed in the corner of her eyes. Then, she started looking around the clearing as if searching for where Filvis would be standing. Elwin retook her hands and guided her in front of Filvis. He was careful not to step in the ghost's current ethereal form. Lefiya squinted at the spot, and Filvis started to blush even harder. But then the little elf turned away. She faced Elwin and placed a hand on his chest.
"She's not really in this courtyard, though. She's in here, with you," Lefiya smiled. "Which is good, so I can protect the both of you at the same time, then."
Elwin looked up at her. "You don't think there's something wrong with me?"
Lefiya tilted her head. "Why would I think that?"
"Because…" Elwin's voice dropped out. "Filvis is gone because of me."
"NO!" declared Lefiya with a stomp of her foot. "Filvis is gone because of that horribly disgusting monster!"
Behind her, Ghost Filvis nodded along. Then, a new voice spoke up.
"And I am going to find that monster, and I'm going to rend it apart. I am going to tear the vile creature apart piece by piece."
Riveria walked out, as serene as ever, but the intensity of her bearing made the other two-step back.
"Hey now," began Elwin, raising his arms. "There's no need to get so gruesome."
Riveria responded by placing a hand on his shoulder. She smiled, and Elwin took comfort in it, but he also saw something dark in her eyes.
"You are my little brother, and he almost took you from me. For that, I am going to ruin him. I will erase his essence from the mortal plane."
Lefiya stepped away, surprised at her mentor's dark words. One person was not so afraid to call her out, though.
"Are you doing ok? This isn't like you," responded Elwin.
Riveria shook her head. "To be honest, I don't know. What I do know is that I felt that something was wrong, and I wasn't there. That's my job, I have a lot of responsibilities, but I still wasn't there. I'm still learning how to be a big sister, but I don't want to fail."
Elwin surged forward to wrap his arms around Riveria. He squeezed tight. Riveria was surprised to see that he was taller than her. She always knew it, but this was the moment she realized just how big he was. Her head came up to his chest. She slowly brought her arms around and hugged him back. The two siblings felt the tension leave their bodies. For the first time since he had left for the expedition, Riveria was able to take a deep breath.
"Ummm, Riveria, would you mind if I stayed with you tonight? I don't know how well I'll be able to sleep," asked Elwin.
Riveria pulled back. She reached up one hand to ruffle his hair. She smiled as she said, "Of course. Actually, why don't I come with you to Hearth Manor? I think you need as much family as possible." The high elf then turned to Lefiya. "Would you like to come with us? Ais did say that you slept better in the Dungeon with him around."
Lefiya turned a dark shade of red but nodded. The three elves walked inside while Riveria informed Loki of the situation. The crimson-haired Goddess looked over, her slit-like eyes staring into Elwin's soul. She turned back to Riveria and gave a single nod. The high elf led them outside, and then they started to walk home. Riveria walked a couple feet ahead to give the two some space.
"So, you haven't been sleeping well either?" asked Elwin.
Lefiya nodded, her grip on her staff tightening. "It's almost like…every time I close my eyes, I see her ripping out her magic stone. Or I see you getting stabbed through the chest."
Elwin reached out a hand and rested it on hers. "I came back. She gave her all, and I plan on living every part of my life in honour of her. If you'd like, I'd love to have you along for the journey."
Lefiya smiled. "I might be a little too emotional for a decision right now, but I think that I'd love to walk with you." She leaned her head on his shoulder, and he leaned his head on hers.
The three walked back home, and Elwin slept like a baby the rest of the night.
In the morning after his nighttime training, Elwin woke up early, feeling a bit better than he had in a while. He walked downstairs to get a cup of coffee. As he approached the kitchen, he heard the sound of giggles coming from the inside. He pushed the door open to find Haruhime sitting on the counter. Nearby, Mikoto was standing over a collection of pots.
"Alright, how about this one?" asked the samurai. She brought a spoon up and offered it to the renard.
The renard leaned forward and happily slurped what was there. She gave off a joyful humming sound. "It's wonderful! The hint of sweetness is perfect!"
"Ok, now this one!"
Mikoto offered another spoon from another pot. Haruhime was eager to swallow what was presented but shivered as she did so. Mikoto giggled at the renard.
"Mikoto! You gave me something bitter!"
Her girlfriend gave Haruhime a teasing smile. "I know."
Haruhime gasped. "You're horrible!"
"Yes, but you're stuck with me."
"I suppose so," replied Haruhime.
The renard slipped her arms around Mikoto's neck. The Black Crow leaned forward, eager to catch Haruhime's lips with her own.
That was when Elwin made his presence known. The half-elf coughed into his fist. The noise made Mikoto jump. She turned to find the source of the noise so quickly that she banged her knees into the cabinet. Haruhime turned a bright red and fell backwards, hitting her head against the wall. The two had become quite comfortable with each other in private but were still very embarrassed around others. The number of accidents that had happened when they'd been 'discovered' just kept becoming more numerous.
"Good morning," said Elwin.
"Good morning," replied Mikoto, clutching her leg. "Is there anything you'd like, Sir Elwin?"
Elwin smiled. "I'm just getting some coffee."
He filled up his cup and was quick to walk away. The two lovebirds deserved to be left alone.
"You could have that too," said Filvis. "If you finally decided to stop hiding and acting like a coward."
Elwin frowned. "I don't know what you mean."
Filvis appeared beside him. "Oh, then what about the fact that you still haven't talked to our beloved?"
Elwin shrunk away. In the week since the night at the pub, he had seen and talked to Lefiya very little. Whenever he visited Riveria, he always kept his conversations with the little elf short and sweet. Obviously, since Lefiya is not an idiot, she picked up on his desire for space. And even if it hurt, she gave it to him.
"You are, in fact, an idiot," said Filvis.
"I know," replied Elwin.
"Good morning Elwin! Good morning Filvis!" said Hestia, walking down the stairs.
The day after their night out, Elwin had come clean to his Goddess about what was going on in his head. The Goddess had not been too surprised by the situation. Her intuition had kicked in, and as soon she had learned, it was almost like she could see Filvis's ghost. Hestia had been quick to accept the elf as one of her own children. The Goddess had also said it was up to Elwin to tell the others about what was going on.
The rest appeared soon after, and everyone sat down for breakfast. As it had been for the past week, Otohime sat as far from Urashima as possible. The poor boy was left confused and was trying to figure out what he did wrong. Everyone ate and enjoyed their company. Near the head of the table, Bell and Ryuu chatted back and forth, smiling and laughing. Elwin was happy to see that the two seemed to be even closer than before. After they had gotten over their initial confession, all their nervousness around each other was gone.
When they had finished, everyone realized that there was little to do. They had no expedition to plan for. There was no tournament coming up. Even with the natural training and fighting they had to do for the Dungeon, it wasn't like it would take up their time. That was when Hestia clapped her hands together.
"So! I was talking with Hephaestus, and she told me that the Holy Night Festival is coming up!" declared the Goddess.
That got almost everyone's attention. The older members and Elwin bore giant grins. They knew what the Holy Night Festival was. A wintertime celebration filled with activities and large carnivals. Overall, it was a joyous time for those in the know. There was one problem.
"Excuse me! What is the Holy Night Festival?" asked Otohime.
Mikoto whirled to look over at the Dragon Princess. She had a massive grin on her face. Haruhime felt herself melt at the sight of Mikoto's childlike wonder.
"The Holy Night Festival is one of Orario's greatest celebrations! People come together to celebrate and beat back the cold with wonderful food, gift-giving, and umm" Mikoto blushed and looked over at Haruhime, "there are often some romantic events and traditions."
"So!" said Hestia. "I know we have training to do! But I want to celebrate as well!"
"Is that really a priority?" asked Lili. "Shouldn't we keep preparing for Lady Freya?"
Welf, Ryuu, and Urashima nodded along.
Hestia's face relaxed. "And that's exactly why. The point of all this is because we don't want to let Freya dictate our lives. If we spend all our time training to take her down, then she's already won." She raised a hand in the sign of victory. "We still have to live our lives to the fullest, don't we?"
Everyone grinned in return.
Hestia leaned back, crossing her arms behind her head.
"Besides, as a Goddess of the Hearth, this holiday's actually a big deal for me," she said.
"What do you mean?" asked Otohime.
Hestia leaned forward, a serious look on her face.
"The Holy Night Festival was started because Winter is the darkest and coldest of the seasons," explained Hestia. " People often need to come together. And the hearth is the best place for it." The Goddess actually blushed a bit. "I already offered to help out with the Guild." She then realized what she said and started waving her hands out. "But none of you have to help out! I just want to make sure that you all have fun and enjoy yourselves!"
Welf nodded. "Awesome, you know, we could probably do with some holiday cheer. We could throw a party!"
Haruhime smiled. "Oh yes!" replied the renard. "And we can invite all our friends! Takemikazuchi Familia, Miach Familia, Miss Aisha and some of Loki Familia!"
Mikoto nodded. "I would be happy to handle the cooking! And I'm sure Lady Chigusa would enjoy it!"
Ryuu started smiling. "I remember celebrating with Astraea Familia; it was always fun." She looked to the ceiling. "Actually, whenever I did it, they usually left me in charge of finding the tree."
"A tree?" asked Bell.
Ryuu nodded. "Yes, we would get a large tree to put up in the main hall. We would decorate it and put the presents underneath!" Her eyes grew distant. "It was always the most wonderful time."
"Then that will be Ryuu's job," said Lili. "Lili will plan the party, Master Bell and Lady Haruhime can decorate the house; Miss Mikoto will be cooking. Mister Welf, can you get the alcohol? Lord Soma should be willing to cooperate."
The smith nodded. "Leave it to me, Lil' Bit. I can spend the rest of the time making all your gifts."
Lili turned to the newest members. "Lili will leave the invitations to you three. We have about three weeks before the official Holy Night, and we can hold the party then!"
Hestia Familia raised a glass and cheers to their happy plans. They would still have to raid the Dungeon in the meantime and continue to train and spar, but their hearts were light with the celebration on their mind.
Elwin was stopping by Twilight Manor for one of his visits to Riveria. The trip was also to hand out all the invitations. Aiz and Lefiya were on the top of the list, but most executives would also be invited. Honestly, Goddess Hestia said that anyone who wanted to come could. She was more than happy to throw her doors open to every member of Loki Familia. The Goddess said that it was the least they could do for everything their allies had done.
The guards at the gate let him in, familiar with his comings and goings. The day seemed to be like any other. What was different this time, though, was the little elf waiting for him at the front door. Lefiya was tapping her foot, eyes trained on the gate. When she saw Elwin, her face brightened.
"It's about time you got here!" said Lefiya. "We're going to have our talk now, and I'm not waiting for an answer."
Elwin frowned. "What do you mean, we're having our talk?"
Lefiya blushed as she looked at the floor. "About us and what happens next."
"Oh, Ummm, ok," replied Elwin. "Is it ok if I go to talk to Riveria first? I have something I need to tell her."
Lefiya pouted. "Fine, but I don't want you to run away!" Lefiya walked past. "I have some errands to run in town." After walking past, she turned to point a finger. "But when I get back, we're having a talk!"
Elwin grinned. "Yeah, ok."
The half-elf walked inside. The others directed him towards the garden, where he usually took his tea with his big sister. Blocking his way, though, was a certain werewolf.
Elwin stopped, and Filvis stood next to him. The dead elf sighed.
"I think I have an idea about what he wants," said Filvis.
Leaning against the wall, arms crossed against his chest, Bete clicked his teeth together.
"Listen up, weakling," began the werewolf. "You got lucky this time, but you still died. You get that, right?"
Elwin shook his head, unclear about what Bete wanted. Bete rolled his eyes as he stood up.
"You died, which means that you're weak. You got lucky and got a second chance. Take it, and stay out of the Dungeon," explained Bete.
Elwin considered the advice but eventually shook his head. "No thanks. I'm not even close to being done yet."
Bete growled. His hand shot out and gripped the collar of Elwin's robes. "Don't you get it, you punk! You were so weak you died, and because of that, the weak little elf and the old hag had to cry their eyes out! Are you going to keep doing that to them?"
Elwin felt nothing at Bete's tirade. His emotions were dead at the moment. He took that to mean that he should be afraid. But he was only calm. The half-elf raised a hand to try and pry away Bete's paws from his neck.
"You talk like I could just leave. And even if I wanted to, all that would be is admitting that I failed. Is that what you would do?"
Bete tsked and looked away. "Whatever, just be weak then. See what happens to you afterwards."
"It's not like I want to make them cry, you know," replied Elwin. His eyes met Bete's. "But I also know that I can't live my life based around others. I need to do what I believe."
"A good response."
Bete and Elwin turned to look at the third voice. They found Riveria walking in from the outside.
"I was wondering where you were," said the high elf. "Now that I've seen you, I think I understand what happened." She looked over at Bete. "Thank you for caring, but I think I can take care of him on my own."
Bete growled and started to walk away. "Whatever, old hag. Like I care what happens."
Riveria rolled her eyes. She turned to Elwin. "Shall we begin?"
Elwin nodded.
Lefiya strolled down the street. She did have some errands to do, but she also wanted to get her thoughts in order so that things made sense when she did talk to Elwin. She was so lost in her thoughts and so busy wandering the town that she ran headfirst into another traveller.
"Ah! I'm so sorry!" said Lefiya, stumbling backwards.
"No, it's my fault!" said the other voice.
However, Lefiya recognized that voice. She let out a deep breath and made sure to keep calm. When she opened her eyes, Bell Cranel was still there standing in front of her. The boy's rubellite eyes showed panic, and his feet were about to turn and run.
Before Bell could bolt, Lefiya grabbed him by the shoulder.
"No running off! I need your advice about something!" said the little elf.
Bell stopped. Lefiya wanted his advice? But Lefiya hated him!
"I need to ask some questions about Elwin and his background," continued Lefiya. "So, let's go sit down for tea!"
The level five of Loki Familia dragged the March Hare away. Bell knew that he could probably break out of her grip but was so confused about the situation that he just let it happen. Lefiya took him all the way down the main boulevard, with every pedestrian watching. She sat him down at a table on a terrasse. Then, she left to place an order for a pot of tea. After placing and paying for the order, she sat down across from him. As her eyes bore into him, Bell was just about ready to run again.
However, what kept him there was that he knew Lefiya did all of this because she cared. So, Bell waited for the tea to come. When he reached out to pour a cup, Lefiya swatted his hand away. She took her time to pour two delicate cups. She waited for him to drink at least half his cup before asking her first question.
"I know it wasn't easy, but what was Elwin's childhood really like? Why does he always seem…distant?" asked Lefiya.
Bell looked to the sky to consider the question. He sat in silence, and Lefiya waited.
"I think it's because he's afraid," began Bell. "He's only actually distant with elves."
"Because of his father?" responded Lefiya.
Still looking to the sky, Bell shook his head.
"He was only the first. After more and more elves learned about who Elwin was, they all turned their backs eventually. Almost without reason. In fact, most of the elves of his old Familia left because of him." Bell frowned, finally looking back down at the table. "But it wasn't his suffering he cared about; it was his mother's."
"What do you mean?" asked Lefiya with a tilt of the head.
"His mother was the one who slept with King Larfal," explained Bell. "To a lot of the elves, she was the one who tempted him." The boy sighed. "The term 'succubus' got thrown around a lot, at least that's what Ryuu says. And as the product of her temptation, Elwin blames himself for the pain." Bell looked at Lefiya. "He told me about Filvis. And I think that's why he's keeping distant. He believes that all he'll do is cause you more pain."
Lefiya opened her mouth to respond, but apparently, Bell wasn't finished. The white-haired boy reached out. Before his hand touched her's, he stopped. He remembered the elvish preference for touch, but Lefiya lifted her own hand.
"Go on," she said.
"Please, keep pushing on him," said Bell. "I can try to help him, and I will, but I think you're the best shot at breaking through."
Lefiya blinked once. She smiled at this boy she hated. She nodded. "Fine then, if you can't do it, I guess I'm the natural next choice." Bell smiled but stopped when Lefiya held up one immaculate finger. "On one condition, though, you have to do the same."
Bell's eyebrows scrunched together, and his mouth hung ever so slightly open.
Lefiya hated to admit it, but he had her beat in one area. "You have to keep trying to break through to Miss Aiz. We both have to keep going, ok?"
Bell blinked once. He smiled. He let go of her hand to present it again. He had offered it to her to shake.
"Let's call it a deal then."
Lefiya reached out and took his hand.
Back in the garden, Riveria nodded with approval as Elwin poured them a couple of cups of tea. His technique had improved. So had his overall table manners and posture. The high elf smiled as he added a sugar cube and cream to her cup. Just the way she liked it. He offered the cup perfectly, and she took it with care.
"You're getting much better at being careful," said Riveria.
Elwin gave her a tiny smile. "I'm happy to hear it. The truth is this whole tea ceremony is kind of fun. You could say…it's my cup of tea."
Riveria groaned in response. But she still sipped her tea and enjoyed the taste of it on her tongue. She set her cup back on its plate and levelled her little brother with a look Aiz was very familiar with.
"So, why have you been avoiding Lefiya?"
Elwin looked away as Filvis nodded along. The dead elf was glaring holes into the side of his head.
"I've just been…."
"Don't lie to me; I'll see through it," added Riveria.
Elwin flinched at her words. He slowly let out a breath.
"I'm afraid. I'm already half an elf. And now I'm the freak who came back to life…what'll happen to her if she keeps hanging around me? I've already seen what elves do to those who associate with the 'impure,'" explained Elwin.
Riveria chuckled, "Oh, and what about me? Not afraid of making me impure?"
Elwin squinted at her. "I just travelled across a continent to come and find you." The half-elf blushed. "It might be selfish of me to say it, but I don't want to let you go."
Now it was Riveria's turn to blush. She felt the heat creep up her neck.
"Well, I think you'll find that Lefiya is made of tougher stuff than most." Riveria smiled. "She's stronger than you think. In fact, it seems she's even more ready than you are."
Riveria pointed out behind him. Elwin turned to find Lefiya standing there, hands clasped behind her back. The high elf stood up and walked away, leaving the two alone.
Elwin stood as well. He walked until he was a couple feet away. Filvis faded as well. She retreated to his subconscious. Even if it hurt her heart, she knew that her time was over.
The first one to talk was Elwin.
"I'm sorry," he blurted out. "I didn't mean to ignore you…I just…it's hard for me…."
Lefiya smiled. "I know. And I think you talk too much."
"Huh?"
Before the next word could leave his mouth, Lefiya grabbed his cheeks. The second before she did it, she seemed to hesitate. Her usual nervousness took its place.
"You don't have to-"
Elwin's words were cut off. Lefiya had to get on her tippy toes to reach, but she was determined. Her lips captured his, and the half-elf's brain turned to mush. After a second, he returned the kiss. His hands grabbed her waist and pulled her close.
Finally, the two pulled back. Elwin blinked once.
"Wow," he said. He looked back at Lefiya. "Can we do that again?"
Lefiya laughed, feeling as light as air, and leaned forward again.
Aisha had not left the house for days. Ever since she had examined the canister, she grappled with an uncomfortable truth in the privacy of her room. She had no idea if Bell Cranel could survive what she had just seen. The contents might just break him. But it also wasn't her place to judge. The first thing to do, though, was warn his Goddess.
Sorry that this took so long! But its here now! Hopefully the next one will be on time!
Review Responses:
Walkmanapprenticewordsmith: Hangover was in fact an inspiration. Thanks!
Tranadar: Thank you! We will be diving into that one later
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pix25: Aren't we all?
