Chapter 2: Bright River Retreat
Disclaimer: see chapter 1
A Story of Eighteen Years
by Centurious the Azure and Storm Wolf77415
Chapter 1: Bright River Retreat
The entire crew had taken a short break from Ezra's story to partake in Phoebe's wonderful cooking. After the tale of Naaman and Yesenia's intense battle against the Order, and Ezra's subsequent escape on Michael. Everyone was quite hungry. Estelle would occasionally glance over to where Ezra was sitting, idly sipping at the stew. He was stoic as he ate, clearly having to recount the events of that day had been one of the most difficult things he had ever had to do. He let out a relieved sigh, giving his stomach a light slap. "Oh, that was good, Phoebe. I could die tomorrow and be a happy man with cooking likes yours."
The blue-haired mage just smiled and blushed as she hunched down shyly. Rita just rolled her eyes as she adjusted her goggles. "Ugh, can we please not get lovey-dovey here? I might puke. So what happened after you flew off on Michael? Did he take you off to his mountain and keep you as his pet?"
He just rolled his eyes. "Don't get your goggles on so tight, Ri. Everything will come out in due time. And no, Michael didn't take me to some distant mountain where I lived for years." Ezra leaned back in his chair, ready to resume the tale. "Actually, I think Judith would find this next chapter quite interesting because it covers the time I spent with her people." The scantily clad elf's ears twitched at this. He just smirked, satisfied he had everyone's full attention. "Oh yes, it was in that village where I met my first real companions, and my journey really began."
The sound of the wind rushing by my head woke me up. I was surprised to find it was nightfall, I looked down and didn't recognize the landscape underneath us, so clearly, it had been a while. I was still trying to get my bearings when Michael spoke to me. "So you're awake. That's good, we're getting close to our destination, anyway."
"How long have we been flying?" I asked, rubbing my face and trying to clear my head of all the fatigue. I looked down again and was able to see trees…lots of trees. So clearly, we were over some massive forest. Michael was skimming just above the very tips of the trees. Those massive taloned feet barely missing the very top branches.
"I'm not sure myself, but if I had to make a guess, I'd say it's been over eight human hours. We're nearly on the other side of the continent from where I found you." Michael said. He circled and began descending to the ground, "Hang on, hatchling. We're setting down. I know the people of this village well. They should be able to help you out."
I grunted, hanging onto his back as best as I could, praying I didn't hit a branch on the way down. He spread his wings with a flourish before landing with a delicate touch. I suppose a dragon would be able to make those pinpoint landings. I poked out over his head to see where we were. Michael had landed square in the middle of a small village, tucked away in a forest clearing. I could see several small houses nestled away against the enormous tree trunks.
It was then I saw the villagers emerging from the houses, all looking a little nervous as they did so. They slowly emerged from their homes speaking a familiar language, but I couldn't put my finger on it. When a few of them became bolder and approached Michael, I caught sight of their ears and I knew what language these people were speaking, and what they were. They were elves. Mom had taught Kieran and I some of the elven language, so I caught snippets of the various conversations.
But then one male elf, clad in chainmail and a dark green leather gherkin, a red bandana tied around his head, covering his dark brown hair, carrying a large bow stomped up to Michael. He caught sight of me on his back. A cold fury was alight in his green eyes unsettled me quite a bit. It was a look of pure revulsion. The elf began barking at Michael in the elder tongue. "What in the name of Tir na Lia are you thinking, Michael? You brought an outsider, a human on top of it, to this place? I may have respect for your strength as a dragon, but don't think you can just bring random strangers here!"
My draconic companion looked nonplussed. I suppose if you have the power to torch an entire army, the words of a lone elf don't mean much. He just snorted, a small puff of smoke escaping his nostrils. "Oh, come off it, Ioran. I found the hatchling alone in the ruins of his village, destroyed by the Order. I couldn't leave him there. Besides, there's already a human living in your village anyway. One is as good as the other in my opinion."
The elf named Ioran just glared at him even more. I was certainly piqued by the idea of there being another human present. "Kyana is an exception, and we both know it!" He snapped. "Take that little brat and dump him off somewhere, just not here!" It was then I made my presence felt, sticking my head up from between Michael's horns. Ioran looked dubious, our stare-down lasted a few minutes before he spoke to me in the common tongue. "Why should I even consider giving you shelter in my village, child?"
I just glared right back at him when I spoke in the elven tongue. "Maybe I should be asking you why I picked this place. I have a giant, fire-breathing dragon as a friend. It's not like I'm short on options of where to go." I'd like to think I surprised him when I spoke in his language, how many eight-year-olds can give an elf cheek in their own tongue? But as I'd come to learn, Ioran was good at keeping a straight face. His eyebrows knit together slightly, and his expression softened a little, but it was still mostly neutral.
He folded his arms, nonplussed. "So, you've a sense of humor, cute." He said dryly, narrowing his dark eyes on me. Examining me. "You may as well give me your name, child. And you can tell me where you learned to speak our language."
"My name is Ezra, and I hail from the village of Minas Tor." I tried to keep my voice from cracking at the last part, I couldn't afford to show weakness. I inched forward and sat up a little taller. "As for how I know your tongue. My mother taught me some of it. She's got some elf blood in her. I think that makes us related, at least in some roundabout, distant manner."
Ioran just scoffed. "Blood doesn't mean a thing to me." He took note of the blades on my back. "I am curious about those swords you're wielding, and if you can ever use them at all." The chill from his eyes took a lot of the bravado out of me. I seriously considered just telling Michael to beat wings and get out of here. But I decided against it. I had come too far, and I wasn't going to let Mr. Edgy Elf get the best of me, so I doubled down. "I stripped them off the body of a dead tracker in my village, and I killed an Imperial soldier with it. I brandished the broken silver blade, the blood still fresh on the edge.
Not going to lie, I was pretty queasy at that exact moment, but I continued to talk tough. "Doubt this evidence if you can, Master Elf, but you don't strike me as being so foolish as when something is right in front of you!" Ioran still kept a neutral face. Still, it was clear he was considering my words. Several of the other villagers were standing at the edge of the clearing. Gawking at the sight of the massive dragon and whispering amongst themselves.
"Papa!" A delicate, feminine voice called out. A little girl with short-cut orange-red hair broke out of the crowd and ran up to where we were standing. She had on a short-sleeved tunic in deep forest green with brown shorts and dark green sandals on her feet. The distinct lack of points on her ears indicated she was clearly human. "Papa, what's going on? Why is there a dragon here?" It was then she looked up and saw me, her eyes a lovely shade of green. "Were you riding him?" It didn't seem to register to the girl I was still holding the bloody sword in hand.
I awkwardly slid the sword back into the scabbard and tried to be as nice as possible. "Uh, yeah. W-What's your name?" The girl was actually kind of cute in my opinion.
She sulked at me. It was rather adorable in a way. "You should introduce yourself first! It's only polite to a lady!"
I hesitated, warmth coming to my cheeks. "Uh, my name is Ezra." I patted Michael for emphasis. I was surely grateful for his aid. "And the dragon is Michael."
Her smile was a welcome balm after the last few days. Little did I know how important that beam become to me in the months and years to come. "That's much better! My name is Kyana! It's nice to meet you as well, Ezra." She looked at Ioran with big doe eyes. "Is he going to stay here, Papa?"
He seemed to hesitate for a few seconds, but thanks to the combination of imploring eyes and adorable pout he relented, the way his shoulders slumped was proof positive. I should know this very well since my brother and I had used it on Mom and Naaman more times than we could count. Ioran sighed, looking up at me. "Come on down, young one. I imagine you're tired and hungry after your trip." Michael lowered his head, and I clambered down. It was then all the fatigue caught up to me. Thankfully Kyana took hold of my hand, it was so warm and inviting.
I walked off with Kyana hand in hand, she was eager to lead her newest friend. I suppose I was the only human she had seen in a long time. I wondered why there was a human in this village full of Elvan kind. Wood Elves, known as Bosmer in the old tongue of the elves, at that. I knew this history of bad blood between man, and Mer even at a young age. This alone made me wary of the situation I was walking into.
I glanced back at Michael for one last time, considering he couldn't follow me. I felt anxiety blossom in my chest at being separated from him. He was my savior. I couldn't help feeling a little lost without him. It wasn't as if he could follow me in due to his sheer size…
I knew this. Despite barely knowing the great beast, I felt a great longing not to be separated from him. Not entirely certain if he'd be here tomorrow.
I felt a comforting, warmth-filled sensation in the back of my mind. "Worry not, Ezra." He declared, giving me a strong nod. He flickered his great wings for emphasis. I couldn't help admiring the strength of his form, and the voice speaking directly in my head. "I will always be by your side from henceforward. Get some rest. We shall speak further once you awake in the morn."
I felt much better knowing he'd be here. The great white dragon and I shared a long, meaningful look. It was all right. These people were friends of Michael. All I needed was his assurance.
Kyana tugged me away. There was no turning back from here. This was no other option than trusting these strangers.
They took me over to one of the cottages. I stepped inside. It was a modest affair, the only furniture being a bed, a desk, and a chest of drawers. Still, it had a pleasant, homey feeling. "This will be your home for the time being. It's intended for visitors who are guests of the village chieftain." Ioran said.
"Who's the chieftain?" I asked curiously to which Kyana just giggled cutely.
"You're looking at him, silly! My papa is the village elder!" She chirped, gesturing flamboyantly to Ioran. I almost wanted to imagine Kyana casting sparkles around the man. The severely scarred mug of this elf with his dour bearing killed my imaginings with the long-jagged scar running up the length of his cheek on the left half of his face.
It didn't seem right to me. Elves were supposed to be beautiful in their regal bearings. Wise beyond the years of men. What he did get down pat was the smug superiority. I gave Ioran that much. I suppose legend was hard to live up to even for the elves these days.
I looked up at Ioran in disbelief, and he just glared at me in that 'yeah, so what?' kind of way. "Yeah, I'm chieftain of Calima Nen Village. What, you were expecting something else?" He finally spoke, scowling.
"You're really the guy in charge around here? I figured he'd be like one of those wise men sagely types. Not to mention taller, and less angry, but that's just me." I quipped. Kyana snickered at this, and Ioran just rolled his eyes, muttering about 'damn human brat' under his breath.
"So in other words, you're not talking about Ioran, kid?" A cranky-sounding feminine voice snapped behind me. I turned to see a young woman leaning in the doorway. She had long, flame-red hair in thick wavy curls that draped elegantly down past her shoulders, contrasting with her brilliant green eyes. I noticed that like Kyana, she didn't have pointed ears, which said to me she was human. The woman came in, getting right in my face."I mean that's what everyone else thinks. He's kind of the leader by default."
"Stop being mean to Papa, Devola!" Kyana chided the older woman. "Papa is the tallest and the wisest. Everyone says he's old so that means he's the best!"
"She's got you there, Sis." Another woman spoke. She was a dead ringer for the first woman, although her hair was totally straight, running almost down to her rear end, and wood-framed bifocal glasses adorned her face. "What is this all about, Ioran?" The first red-haired woman, Devola, just rolled her eyes in irritation.
"Isn't it obvious, Popola? He needs us here for the runt covered in blood and bruises. You can be so clueless at times." The bespectacled girl, Popola frowned, throwing a glare to her twin sister, but Devola just shook it off. "So where did you get this one, Ioran? Let me guess, some poor farmer left this one to starve because they couldn't feed him." She let out an overdramatic sigh. "Kinda sad really, People just pop out kids and throw them in the woods to be eaten by whatever beasts are there. So is that your story kid, did Mommy and Daddy abandon you because they couldn't afford it?"
That struck a nerve with me. All at once, I remembered what happened back in Minas Tor. How the Order slaughtered everyone, and beat down Mom and Naaman. It was so vivid, and I felt sick all over again. "You shut your fucking mouth!" I snarled at her, not realizing I had drawn the broken sword once again. "My mom and dad died to protect me, and I won't let anyone desecrate their sacrifice! So you better take that back right now, you bitch!" I was a second away from attacking her, only for a delicate hand to take mine. It was Popola, she had knelt at eye level and looked at me with a sad gaze.
"It's okay." She whispered, wrapping her arms around me and into a tight hug. It was the same way Mom would hug me whenever something upset me. Popola gently rubbed my back. The blade slipped out of my hand and clattered on the floor.
"Popola and Devola are Kyana's tutors, and starting today they're going to be yours as well, kid," Ioran said warmly. "Welcome to Calima Nen Village." He smiled as he said that, gently running his hand through my hair. It was there the two of us would start connecting, like a loving uncle and his nephew. "I'll leave you to Devola and Popola for right now, and I'll take care of this." My heart stopped as he took the swords from me. Popola gently undid my bandoleer holding my blades to my body, handing my other sword to the chief. "It probably could stand to be maintained." I reached for it, but he gently tapped me on the forehead. "Ah-ah, don't worry. You'll get them back in the morning. If you behave, I'll teach you a few things."
He left after that, and Kyana was in tow. She cast one last glimpse at me. It was colored with concern mixed with fear. Fear for herself? Fear of me? Great, I already got her afraid of me. It was going to be a trend from now on. I was a killer now. There was no turning back from the fact that my hands were covered in blood. Not now, or ever.
The woman with the straight red hair put a hand on my shoulder and smiled. "How about we do something about treating your injuries, dear?" She led me over to the bed, having me sit down. Her curly-haired twin sat across the way at a small table and chairs, wearing a guilty look on her face. A part of me still felt rather uneasy at this turn of events. I flinched when Popola brought her hand near me. "What's wrong?" she asked.
"I want to talk to Michael," I said. the whole thing was becoming so overwhelming for me. I didn't know what to do. Popola just smiled, bringing her hand to my cheek.
"Hey, focus now, okay?" She said, her voice so comforting. "You know you're quite lucky to have met Michael. He must have seen something very special in you if he went out of his way to come to your rescue." My panic began to abate at her words. Confident she had my attention. Popola kept speaking. "Consider this your first lesson. It all happened almost a hundred and thirty years ago. When a great cataclysm ripped across our world. The mighty Cathedral City appeared on the great peninsula to the west of here."
"And the world exploded with magic and monsters." I finished. Popola's eyebrows shot upward as I finished the sentence. "My mother was a powerful mage herself. She told me this same story. Although the details are still rather sketchy."
"Then you know that once the Cataclysm happened, society broke down, and everyone was set against each other. Man vs Man, Man vs Elf, and Man vs Dragon." Popola looked rather sad at that last part. "The relationship between Humanity and Dragon is even more strained than humans and elves. Michael clearly has a big heart to come to your aid." Her hand came up, and I felt a warmth begin radiating outward. It was soothing, but before long it occurred to me it wasn't just the warmth of her hand.
I saw a faint red glow come off the entire length of her hand, it felt like my wounds and bruises were literally melting away. "H-how did you do that?" I asked, stumbling with my words in surprise. "I mean, my mom has used healing magic before, but it had a green glow. This feels different."
"That's because it's fire-based," Popola explained, her voice the gentle sound of bells. "It's a very…rare form of magic. Not many people know how to do it. My sister can as well." She looked over to Devola, still wearing the sad pout from earlier.
"Forget it." I turned my nose at the other woman, "she can sit there and be guilty, for all I care." I stuck my tongue out at her, and she fired right back. Popola just laughed.
"I don't think I've ever seen a child with your level of snark. I wonder where you learned to talk like that." She lightly chided me. "Most kids would be cowed if an adult threatened to take a switch or a paddle to them." I think I scared her a little bit with how I glared at her, but I figured she deserved the truth.
"After today, I don't have much reason to be afraid of adults. They think they can walk all over people. I'm done with that!" Popola gently swatted me on the back. I lowered my head, reluctant about what I was about to do next. "Uh, you'll forgive me if I make a strange request? I don't want to be alone tonight. Is it possible you could stay here for me?" She just put a hand on my shoulder, and I knew what her response would be.
It was a good thing because I woke up screaming about four hours later. The dream was certainly entertaining enough. I had visions of the entire village burning, the flower erupting from my mom's eye, capped off by being eaten by a giant red dragon. My entire body was covered in sweat and I wanted to run, but a pair of pale, delicate arms held me in place. I thought it was Popola, but then I noticed how her wavy hair…it was Devola. She had on a red tank top and brown shorts, looking at me with those green eyes, that just seemed to emanate a strange, ethereal quality.
She brought a slender finger to her lips. "Shh, it's okay, kid. Nothing's going to happen to you." She leaned forward to give me a gentle kiss on the forehead. "Just don't expect me to be so nice all the time. That's what my sister is for." Popola just smiled quite gently; she had just had on a simple white button-up tunic.
"Whatever helps you sleep at night." I shot back, as the twins embraced me on either side. My heart slowed down, and I felt myself calm down enough to get back to sleep.
"I think we may just get along after all," Devola mused aloud, her gentle grin is the last thing I saw as blessed slumber overtook me. I slept like a baby the rest of the night…
"At least you found a safe haven after such a traumatic event," Estelle said. She had been greatly relieved to hear about Ezra's arrival amongst the elves. Her heart had shattered after the first part of the story and wasn't sure if she was ready to hear more if this was just the start. She wondered if they were pushing him too much by reliving all of this trauma.
"I liked Devola and Popola; red-haired twins are always fun. I wouldn't mind getting tutored by them!" Raven leered, while Rita glared at him.
"I'm not sure I like that Devola girl for mocking you that way, Ezra. I can't believe she would say such a thing to a battered and traumatized child." Estelle was a calm person most of the time, with a gentle heart and a loving soul. However, it made her angry at how callous Devola had been. Enough she was sorely tempted to ask Furiae to borrow her mace so she could bring it down square on her head!
Ezra carried a slightly melancholy expression. "Devola didn't exactly earn me any points with that first meeting. Popola was nice enough, she was the one in charge of our education, general and magic-wise. Her sister was just there as her assistant and bitched the entire time." He shook his head. "That being said, they both became older sister figures to Kyana and I. But there was something about both of them that seemed off. I don't know what it was, but there was an energy about them that just felt…unnatural to me. And it wasn't just because they were humans living in an elven village."
"So once you ended up in the village, what did you do?" Judith asked.
"I started training alongside Kyana, as well as her cousins." He looked over to Felecia as he said this, her greenish-blue eyes getting a little misty. "Those were simpler times, and it seemed like what had happened earlier was just a bad dream."
(Two Years Later)
My eyes narrowed as I swung my steel blade at the massive sabercat, snapping its enormous fangs at me. It tried to swing around to bite me in the knee, but a swift kick to the side of the head, and a wide slash caused it to go on the defensive. But the mighty animal wouldn't be so easily dissuaded, prowling low as it waited for its next chance to strike. I was also focused intently on the cat, golden-slitted eyes unblinking.
"Keep your focus, Ezra!" Popola called out from a short distance away. "You lose your attention on that thing for a minute and you're dead." The twins had taken Kyana and I out into the woods surrounding the village to cull some of the local wildlife.
Speaking of which, Kyana was currently squaring off with her sabercat, her weapons of choice, a Tomahawk in one hand and a knife in the other. It was clear how good of a fighter she really was, moving with fluid grace, every move segueing into the next, no motion wasted. The cat snarled at her, swiping with its claws, but she easily flipped over the beast, landing perfectly.
I had to admit it was always impressive to watch Kyana fight, she gracefully flowed in and out amongst the cat, avoiding its fangs and claws. I was quite captivated by it, only I was reminded of my challenge, raising my sword to avoid getting mauled, dodging to the left to avoid getting my side ripped out. I let the cat get far enough by me, sword raised. The timing was right, the shining steel blade came down, cleaving the saber cat's head clean off its shoulders.
"Nice kill!" Devola hollered out praise, while Popola just gave a slight nod of acknowledgment.
"Now go and help Kyana." The straight-haired twin said. I just nodded and ran off to help Kyana against the other saber cat. She flashed a smile at me as I came up alongside her. I raised my sword in a ready position, while she brandished her axe and knife. Even cornered, the beast was defiant, letting out one last snarl.
We just looked at each other and smirked. This would be no contest. If we weren't training against the local wildlife, Kyana and I would spar against each other. So we knew each other's moves very well. I let Kyana take the lead. She wore her usual green sleeveless turtleneck sweater and brown shorts. She nearly spun around the beast, the knife in her off-hand, slashing across the cat's flank.
I managed to get the beast across the face, taking out its left eye, causing it to cry out in pain. I swept my blade around, managing to cut through both of the creature's right-side legs, sending it tumbling to the ground, immobilized.
"Kyana, here's your opening!" I called out to her, letting out a cry she leapt off a rock. The hatchet came down, burying itself in the hapless beast's skull, as the knife punctured the cat's throat, just to ensure it couldn't get off any final strikes.
It had been two years since Michael had brought me to the elven village of Calima Nen, or Bright River in the common tongue. I was now ten years old. In that time I had become accepted by the elves. I learned their language, and their customs. In a lot of ways, I had come to see myself as being more elvish than human. They had lived in such harmony with nature, a far cry from how those jackholes in the Order and Empire seemed to just consume everything in their path.
I learned much about Ioran in those two years. Apparently, he was something of a revolutionary, and beyond a few, he implicitly trusted, had a pathological hatred of humanity. After a while, you just learned to tune it out. That being said, the man knew his way around a sword and helped me to get a better grasp of how to wield it. Although I knew I was nowhere near ready to take on the Order, my day would come, soon enough.
I looked to where our two other companions were dealing with some of the other monsters in the forest. The first was a boy of twelve, his messy brown hair, with blonde highlights, was fending off a pack of wolves while wielding a one-handed longsword, much like my own, a plain wooden shield clenched in the other. His eyes held an intense glare as he plunged the weapon into the stricken beast lying at his feet.
"Nicely done, Erik. I see Mark has taught you well. You've only gotten better since the last time you were here." Popola called out to the youth, who looked at her with a nod of acknowledgment. "Your sister isn't anything to sneeze at either." My gaze fell on a young girl with blonde hair, wielding a short sword with an edge like a comb's teeth. She gracefully backflipped in the air over the two wolves she had been fighting, bringing her sword in a wide swing, decapitating one of the beasts, and then lashing out with a back kick, impaling the second wolf through the roof of his mouth.
"That was beautifully executed, Felecia. You always did have a style I appreciated." Devola clapped in merriment. The younger girl smiled. I couldn't help but feel a little tingly when she did that. Although it was always when Kyana wasn't looking.
Erik and Felecia were Ioran's nephew and niece through his younger sister, Quora. Their relationship was…complicated, to say the least. Felecia was the spitting image of her mother, albeit her hair was much shorter, and her skin a couple of shades darker. Both she and her older brother inherited Quora's brilliant greenish-blue eyes that had a strange luminous quality to them.
Their father, Mark, was a high-ranking officer in the Midgardian Imperial Army. He was one of those few humans Ioran trusted, and would never say no to a visit from his little sister's kids. As such, they would often join Kyana and I in our tutoring sessions under Devola and Popola's watchful eyes. We were all feeling pretty good about ourselves when a massive roar shook the entire clearing, and a giant cave bear lumbered in, rearing up on its hind legs, baring its teeth.
"All right! This will be a nice way to wrap up this session!" Erik smirked, shouldering his blade. It would take all four of us working together to subdue something this size. Devola and Popola were nearby, ready to step in if it was required, but we were all confident in our skills. As the eldest, Erik took charge and began shouting out orders. "Kyana, you and I will try and keep the bear's attention, Ezra, Felecia, flank it from both sides and we'll surround it."
No further words were needed, both Felecia and I tensed. Kyana was the first to provoke the bear. "Hey, you oversized plushie! I'm right here!" She called out, slapping her rear end, "You want a piece of this? Come and get it!" Sticking her tongue out as well. Devola thought it was funny, but Popola just sighed, shaking her head.
The taunt worked, the bear roared again, swinging a massive paw, those black claws able to rend her in little pieces in short order. But Eric was quick to defend his cousin, bringing his shield up to protect both of them, the rough wooden surface scratched up.
Erik was undeterred, ramming the side and front of his shield into the bear's face a few times, letting Kyana slide in underneath, stabbing in with her knife in the right foreleg.
This was our chance to move. Felecia went to the right, I ran to the left, getting in behind the beast. She used the jagged edge of her blade, the Sword Breaker, raking across the cave bear's meaty hindquarters. The big lug was faster than we thought, considering how quickly he whipped around, looking to carve Felecia up.
I was just as fast, I went in for a diagonal slash downwards, just barely missing it, but enough to keep him at bay. "Hey! Remember us!" Erik called out, smacking his sword on his shield as a way to get the bear's attention back on him and Kyana.
The two of them leapt back after another powerful swipe, Axe and sword coming up at the same time. The former slashing the bear across its furry chest, and the latter gouging out its right eye. A throaty roar of pain rang out
"Now you guys!" Erik called out. All four of us move in at once, Swords and axe slashing across the bear's legs, sending it tumbling to the ground, unable to fight or run. Apart of me felt a little guilty at having to bring down such a majestic creature, but this was nearly eight hundred pounds of meat that would be able to feed us for quite some time.
Erik was stoic, plunging his blade into the bear's skull, piercing the brain, and rendering it silent. We all let out the collective breath we were holding.
"Good job." Popola walked up, critically eying our kills. She gifted us a breezy smile of recognition. "That was some very nice teamwork from all four of you. Let's get this beast skinned and head back to the village. I know your parents will be pleased with the results of this little hunt."
When it was all said and done, we had killed three saber cats, and eight wolves and the cave bear was the crown jewel of our collection. The hides could be tanned into leather to use for clothes and other things around the village. The meat would be smoked and turned into jerky for future consumption. Popola could make some mean bear stew.
We returned to the village in high spirits. Ioran, Mark, and Quora were currently sitting in the village square near the main fire pit. To my surprise, Michael was also present. It was kind of surreal to see a giant dragon just chilling in the middle of a town. Not being on fire must have been a relief to the locals. "We're back, Dad, and we brought some good eats!" Eric called out, indicating the bear carcass.
"It's probably a good thing if we have to feed Michael as well," I muttered under my breath. I remembered having seen him eat entire deer, usually in just a couple of bites.
Quara got up to greet her children. She moved with that fluid grace all full-blooded elven women seemed to possess. Felecia could do it too, but not in the same her mother did. She threw her arms around Eric, giving him a big old kiss. "Oh, I'm so glad you're back, dear." She said, relief coloring her youthful visage. "I know you had Devola and Popola looking after you, but I still worry!"
"Mom!" Erik protested, rolling his eyes in irritation. This just elicited giggles from the girls. Of course, Quora was quick to give her daughter and niece their own big smooches as well, but they took it much better than Eric did.
"We hope you guys like bear." Devola cracked, indicating the skinned carcass she and Popola had been hauling on a crude sled we had thrown together out of logs. "We certainly brought enough for everyone. I know you'll eat your fill, huh, big guy?" She smirked at Michael, gesturing to the massive lizard.
"It's been a while since I've had a proper meal." The giant dragon snorted, flaring his wings for a second, causing a huge gust of wind as he did so, making all the girls' hair whip about. "I'll even be nice enough to cook it for all of you. How you do want it done?"
"Just try not to burn it a cinder like you did that one time, Mike. All I could taste was carbon." Mark quipped, a playful smile on his lips. I always respected Eric and Felecia's father. He was proof that not everyone in the Empire was a total and utter douchebag. He never let his soldiers engage in any of the usual looting and pillaging that plagued so many of the other legions. He was a fair and just man who tried to do what was right.
The dragon let out an indignant noise. "I wasn't feeling well that day and you know it! It's not my fault I sneezed at the last minute and roasted the deer you and Ioran hunted!" This got a laugh from all the adults. Michael reared back his head, firing a thin jet of flame, gently washing over the bear. It was actually intriguing watching as he subtly seared the meat. A delectable odor slowly permeated the air.
"Now this is what I'm talking about!" A rough, haggard-sounding voice rang out, and almost all the adults became very tense at the man who had just stumbled into the clearing. I had never seen a sorrier example of humanity in my entire life. He was in his mid-thirties, tall and lanky, with matted white hair framing blood-red eyes with a sadistic air, his lips curled into a permanent sneer. A nasty, lightning bolt-like scar ran up the left side of his face from his temple to his chin.
He wore a long coat that was mostly white but looked a little dingy, over a silk shirt colored a deep blood red that seemed on the threadbare side. Dark brown pants with a few patches and worn leather boots covered the lower part of his body. It was capped off by a pair of swords hanging on both sides of his belt. Oh, and did I mention the horrific smell wafting off this guy? I leaned into Kyana, whispering. I held my nose not merely for emphasis. He really did stink like a son of a bitch. "Who in the hell is this guy and why does he smell so pungent?"
"I don't know, but he clearly doesn't know the meaning of the word 'bath!', seriously how hard is it to go dunk yourself in a river." She was just as disgusted, shaking her head vehemently. Kyana's orange-red head ponytail whipped about like a fox's tail seemingly to complement it.
The man in red and white sauntered up, taking a tankard of mead from Ioran, who just flashed a sour glare at him. "Oh, come on, Ioran, don't be like that! It's been so long since I've seen all of you!" Devola's ace screwed up, whether it was the odor or the creepily lecherous gleam he was giving her, I wasn't sure. "Hey there, Red! You look hot as always, that immortality juice is keeping you looking good as always. Why is it the mages who get all the nice stuff?"
He looked about ready to say something to Quara, but just shook his head and moved on. Rodger gave a disdainful expression to Popola. "Oh great, bookworm girl is here too. I thought I smelled math." Rodger then directed his gaze to Michael. "Hey, you greasy ol' lizard! I haven't seen you in the better part of a decade! Wow, this really is a reunion of friends!"
Michael snorted derisively. "Human years don't matter to me, although I wish it had been much longer."
"What are you doing here, Rodger?" Mark asked through clenched teeth. "I don't seem to recall you being invited!" Erik had put himself in front of Felecia, both clearly knowing who this smelly, scarred asshole was.
"Yeah, this is supposed to be family only!" Ioran snapped.
The man, named Rodger just took a swig of mead. "Aw come on, Ioran! You said I was an honorary member of the clan. That counts, right?" He said, burping quite loudly to punctuate it. Not that he ever bothered excusing himself. The nasty fuck.
Ioran looked to Mark accusingly. "Tell me you didn't invite him?" Mark shook his head, to which Rodger just gave a mock hurting expression.
"I most definitely did not! The last time I saw him was two years ago! In fact, I recall quite explicitly banishing him from my home!" Mark's fingers twitched, his hand dropping to the sheathed katana hanging at his side. Or was it a tachi? I sometimes forget the difference between Yuyakean blades. "He just invited himself over, got plastered, and started bragging about his sexual exploits in front of my children! I bodily threw him out of the house and told him to never come anywhere near us ever again!"
Rodger just gave an idle shrug before emptying the tankard. "Hey, the kids have to learn about the joys of reproduction sooner or later, not my fault you're such a prude about the subject. Besides, last time I checked, Ioran didn't have any kind of ban on me. Come on, Markie, can't you just let bygones be bygones?" He tried offering the man a placating grin. It looked much more like a threatening sneer. Knowing Rodger, it was likely both. He loved veiling the truth with lies until his dying day. "I'm just here to get shit-faced off the prime elven booze from Ioran's own collection, and then sleep it off on the floor. Is that so much to ask?"
It was then he turned to look at me, eying me nastily. That sneer became much, much worse. I could see the food stuck between his yellowed teeth, much to my disgust. "What are you looking at, ya brat?"
I blinked, realizing I had been staring at him the whole time. My eyes had gone to his swords, unlike anything I had ever seen before. They had a short, curved blade, with a basket-shaped handguard that ran the length of the handle, and kept in far better condition than either his clothes or his own personal hygiene. I just schooled my features into the same dismissive glares the adults had given him. "I'm just looking at a smelly, old bastard that doesn't have a clue about the concept of bath time."
Rodger just let out a hollow, amused laugh. "Oh, the kid's got jokes! Where did you find him, Ioran?" He then eyed the twin swords on my back, gesturing to them with his tankard. The swill of mead going all over the place. "So you any good with those, runt?"
"I killed a soldier from the Order of the Seal with them," I said without missing a beat.
Rodger just scoffed. "Yeah right, kid!"
"Ah, but he did. For I saw it happen with my own two eyes." Michael's throaty voice spoke up, letting out a small wing beat. "This little hatchling is quite resourceful for one so young. Not to mention with plenty of courage." Rodger looked from the dragon to me, and then back. He seemed to consider this for a few seconds before cracking his neck, and stretching his arms over his head.
"Is that so? Who's been handling your sword training then?" Rodger asked thoughtfully. Ioran cleared his throat and this made Rodger roll his eyes and frown deeply. "Oh seriously? Everyone worth their salt knows that Elves don't know the first thing about sword fighting. It's all sneak attacks and raining arrows down from the sky with you and your precious Squirrels. This kid would be dead in seconds if they get close to him with those stupid knife-ear tactics of yours. I've got some free time on my hands; I'll whip him into shape."
Ioran tensed, hand going to his own weapon for a second. But Popola was the one who broke the tension. "Wow, that's remarkably generous of you, Rodger. It's very out of place, given how much of a bigoted asshole you are." She put her hands on her hips, as Devola folded her arms. "What's it in for you? We know you don't work for free. It's the whole privateer motto. You won't do anything unless there's booty, booze, and actual booty on hand."
"Yeah, and work is the one thing you hate doing unless it involves you gutting someone," Mark grunted.
Rodger let out a low chuckle, it was a sinister one, devoid of warmth. "In that regard, you are definitely right! This completely relates to my favorite sin in the world besides fornication. This kid has a killer instinct. And I'm going to take that and mold him into the best damn killer in all of Midgard. After all…it takes a killer to teach a killer!"
The entire dinner table was silent. No one was certain what to say. Rita was chomping down on some bread nonchalantly. Estelle looked close to tears. "He actually trained you?" Karol said, finally breaking the silence. "Nothing against you, Ezra. But he sounds like one of the worst examples of humanity you could ever have as a teacher."
Ezra just sighed, taking another slurp of his stew. "Rodger's tutelage was certainly…different, to say the least. I suppose it's not a stretch to say that I learned all my worst habits from the man. He could talk about killing, murder, and death in general as casually as someone would discuss the weather. It was usually his first solution to everything. And that sentiment did rub off on me, much to the chagrin of my comrades." He looked to where the girls were sitting and all gave weary nods at that. "But on the other hand, he did know his swords. And we really weren't that different."
"You're nothing like him!" Estelle cried out. "He's just a cold-hearted monster."
Ezra reached over, gently patting her hand. He offered her a kind smile before manifesting a serious expression. "I'm glad you're one to see the good in me, Estelle, but I have to set you straight. Even now, I feel like Rodger was the one person who genuinely understood all the rage I was carrying in my heart. He told me that my sentiment for revenge was totally normal, and it was okay to feel that way. If someone bloodies your nose, you return it right down to the sword through their throat. You loot everything off them and dance on their corpses."
"Ezra." Estelle whimpered, tears forming in her eyes. As it was with Phoebe and Felecia.
"He isn't entirely wrong, dearie," Raven spoke up, a weariness in his voice that wasn't normally there. "As someone who has been around the block a few times. I can tell you it is completely human to want revenge if you've been wronged. Some are just more open about it than others. Not that I'd ever condone that kind of thing myself."
There was further silence at the table. Yuri sat back, knowingly looking on. He didn't nod, but everyone saw it. They all knew he had had a similar philosophy in the past. He did give Ezra a look of acceptance, knowing they had shared a similar path was comfort enough for him. The younger man looked over all of his companions for permission to continue. There was no judgment in their eyes, merely imploring gazes from all present. And so, Ezra did, knowing he was far from done.
"Rodger stuck around the village after that. I think it really surprised Ioran and everyone else. The man was legendary for flying in, sticking around long enough to get hammered and take a woman to bed and he'd be off the very next day. But he was there, through every step and hard knock. Rodger taught me what I needed to know, and helped me find direction in my life."
(Four Years Later)
"That's enough for today!" Rodger barked, idly tapping his cutlass on his shoulder, looking on at Kyana and myself, both dripping in sweat and panting heavily. It was a miracle I could even stand after the day's training, but that's how it had been since I had met the man. Despite his surly, perverted, violent attitude. Rodger did have a small degree of compassion. He ran Kyana and I ragged, day in, day out. But our skills had grown by leaps and bounds in that time under his tutelage. In a lot of ways, it was like having to relearn how to use the sword all over again. Being from the land of Arcadia, his techniques were totally different from everything Naaman had taught me.
The three of us were settled in around the fire in the center of the village. Kyana had been so exhausted, I carried her on my back. She curled up, resting her head on my lap. I idly stroked her hair while looking into the snapping, dancing flames. I wasn't sure how I felt about her at that time, but I did know she meant the world to me. Rodger certainly knew. "Now that is just too cute." He drawled, a stupid grin on his face. "I have to give her credit. Ioran's daughter has some real fight in her, she's earned that lap pillow tonight."
"She didn't want to get left behind," I said simply in reply. I placed an affectionate hand on Kyana's head. I had no intention of leaving her behind. At times, I still questioned if we were destined to go in the same direction. Kyana, despite her tomboyishness, wasn't grasped by a love of violence like me. Maybe she enjoyed showing her skills, and testing herself. All of that was true for me as well. Even then, we were quite different. More so than I wanted to ever say.
Kyana was earth, and I was flame. Flame and nature didn't mix. It created a raging forest fire when a spark became flame. Maybe that was why we both were so effective together in battle. Still, I wondered if it was an effective glue to make sure we'd continue as we had before. Time would only tell.
"A man's gotta have a strong woman backing him up," Rodger frowned, idly tapping his foot. The salty seaman suddenly locked his gaze with mine. Suddenly, I knew I was in for a lecture unparalleled. "I'll be honest, kid. There really isn't much left for me to teach you. I remember when you were that little shit who had the balls to stand up to me. But you're not a little shit anymore. You're going to be a man soon. You're almost fifteen after all. It won't be much longer until you hit the big one-six. As a man, you need to figure out your own desires."
"What are you getting at?" I asked him. He became very quiet, and thoughtful. He paused to gather his thoughts, then he carried on. It was all the fodder I wanted to stoke my fires.
"Let me respond with another question. What are you going to use all the skills I've taught you for? I mean, Big M clearly has something planned for you." He started, grabbing a small log to toss in the campfire. The flames cracked, devoring the wood in response as my internal flames rose. "Why else would he bring you here in the first place? I know you don't want to stay in this piddly ass village for the rest of your life. I mean, your chances of getting some sweet elven pussy are pretty high. But I know you want more than just the simple life. Especially with all this Tracker shit, you've been gobbling up. You've really been into old man Dandelion's poems about them, you always get so worked up when you read about the White Wolf."
"It's just amazing what the Trackers can do," I said in wonder. Okay, I'll confess that I romanticized about the Trackers, aka Witchers in the east. The term "Trackers" was just a western turn take on their occupation. Slang, if you will.
Ever since I found the swords back home, I had become obsessed with them. It got to the point that Devola and Popola were bringing back actual texts about the Trackers and what they could do. Alchemical formulas, sword techniques, and the vast compendiums of knowledge about monsters. And there was good cause for that. In the intervening years, I found that I was like them. I could heal from injuries much faster than others, and my senses were all hyper-aware.
"Yeah, they're all freaks, but I mean that in the best way possible." Rodger quickly amended. "Being able to see in the dark the way they can. I'd be lying if I said I was just a little bit jealous." He sighed, watching the flames leap up as he put another log in. My desires were also stoked by his words in response. "I guess what I'm trying to get across to you, is you don't need to stay here when the big, wide world is calling out to you. We've talked enough about your plans to look for your mother and avenge your stepfather's death to know that you don't want to live your whole life here."
I clenched my hands at those words. Rodger was correct in every single way. I had been getting more and more restless, the village feeling more stifling by the day. Even going out into the forest and culling the local wildlife was becoming stale. I wanted to get out there and flex my muscles, see what I could do. "Michael and Ioran don't think I'm ready yet. The Twins as well." I said.
Rodger snorted, spitting into the fire. "If you keep living by their wishes, you'll never get anything done, kid. And besides, how do they know when you're ready?" He emphasized the last word. "You need to start thinking for yourself. I'm saying this because I actually give a shit about, Ezra. Everyone else wants to keep you confined here until you're ready, but what the hell does that really mean? It's a buncha shit if you ask me. Even if you do have some talent, it needs to be supplemented with real-world knowledge and experience. It's how I learned." He stood up, giving me one last look for emphasis. "Just think about that for a while." And he walked back to his cabin, belching before going inside.
With that, I was left alone with my thoughts. Another forty minutes or so passed when I heard a soft moan as Kyana stirred, her eyes fluttering open. "Hey," I said softly, letting her sit up. "You have a nice snooze?"
"Yeah." She yawned, stretching her arms up. We sat there for a few minutes, not saying anything. Kyana rested her head against my shoulder. Kyana looked up at me questioningly. "Is something wrong?" She asked, concerned.
"Just a few things Rodger and I were talking about earlier." I took a deep breath, not sure how she'd respond. "Tell me how you feel about this, Kyana. But have you ever considered if it's time for us to leave the village and venture out there into the world?" She paled quickly, biting her lip.
"I don't know about that. I've never been outside the village before. Daddy always warned me it was really hazardous out there, with all the monsters and bandits. Calima Nen may seem boring, but it is home." It then dawned on Kyana; Her forest green eyes went wide with realization as she gasped in disbelief. "Don't tell me you plan on leaving, Ezra! Dad and the others were clear that neither of us was ready to go!"
"Forget what Ioran and everyone says. Think for yourself just this once, Kyana." I stated bluntly, tapping on my temple to stress it further. "What is it you want to do?"
"I really don't know," Kyana whispered, sniffling a little as she took hold of my arm. "I do know I want us to stay together, Ezra. Is that so hard to accept?"
My hand clenched, I stared longingly into the flames. Knowing how they reflected the furnace burning in my heat. "Maybe it's easy for you to keep your head down here, Kyana, but not for me. This burning in my chest I feel every single day. The people who destroyed my village and shattered my family are still out there. My mom is waiting for me. If I'm going to find her, that means I have to leave Calima Nen. I don't know if she's in danger, and if she is, I'm the only one who can protect her. Naaman is dead, and I have no way of knowing if Kieran made it out alive." I struggled to keep my emotions in check, it was really not easy. "If I don't do this, who will, Kyana? My mother has no one else to rely on."
"Ezra." Kyana tried to reason with me, but I wasn't stopping. It was all I could think of day in, and out. It was too much for me to hold in so I finally unleashed it for Kyana to see.
"I have two main goals, avenge Minas Tor, and find my mom. Nothing is going to stop me." I continued on, anger coloring my voice as I held up my two fingers. "I don't care if I have to fight the Order and the whole of the High King's armies. He's the one who ordered them to come after us. Someone I had never met was so intent on killing me because I was the son of his enemy." My shoulders sagged, feeling way older than the fourteen-year-old I was. "In truth…I'm still just as much of a target now as I was then. If they came around and found me here. They'd put all of you to the sword, just as they did everyone back home. I could never live with myself if anything happened to you, or Ioran, or the twins. It keeps me up at night just thinking about it."
"But certainly the Order isn't that close?" Kyana offered, worry on her pleasant voice. She was water, and I was flame. Again, we came into conflict.
"Not from what I've heard." I shook my head, knowing they'd get here eventually. "They've been increasing their operations in Ballar. It's sounding like they're getting ready for something big."
"Where did you learn that?" She hissed, not believing what she was hearing. I saw her face become a fearful white palor. Ballar was that close due to it being name of our geographic region.
"Ioran and the Twins," I replied sternly. In truth, I had been eavesdropping during their strategy meetings in his hut when I wasn't supposed to. Still, could they blame me? I just wanted to remain informed. And they wanted to keep me from worrying. That's where we also came into conflict, unfortunately. They were my family. They loved me and wanted me safe. Foolishly, I failed to consider that gospel truth. I wanted only revenge no matter what it cost me. "What if the Order is looking for me specifically? Novigrad isn't too far from Temeria. It's only because of King Foltest's stubbornness that the Empire has kept away from it as long as they have. But it won't last forever. The High King will make Georg put the pressure on him. Once they do that, Temeria will be crawling with Order agents and knights."
Kyana nodded, frowningly deeply as she absorbed the information. "We can endure anything as long as we're together." She said optimistically, taking my hand in hers. "There are plenty of non-humans and bearskin in Ballar that would fight them. The Scoia'tael are just one part of the movement under the surface. At least that's what Daddy always tells me."
I rolled my shoulders, taking her hand in mine. Despite my roiling anger, I felt its flame being tampered down by her loving compassion. I wanted that contact so much. I should have known I loved her sooner. "I know Ioran would fight against them tooth and nail, but I sincerely doubt that even he knows what the Order of the Seal is really capable of. Not the way I do. I don't know all the details about them, what drives their need for conquest, but it's quite clear they're an army of zealots that have no fear of death. That much is assured."
"Before we go off and do anything stupid, let's at least talk to Michael, Ezra. He may be able to give you some insight." Kyana suggested, giving me her imploring, soothing emerald gaze. I continued holding her hand as we looked at the fire for a long time after that. She leaned further into me. That stoked a different kind of flame in me. A kind I had a hard time identifying. All I knew was that I couldn't deny her at all.
"Okay, I'll do it for you," was all I said in reply, my hand tightening around hers more. I was weak to her suggestion. The soothing water of Kyana's words was the bane to my flames. Maybe love was the elemental weakness to hatred after all.
(Two Weeks Later)
I nervously paced back and forth at the entrance to the small cave Michael stayed in whenever he visited the village. It hadn't been easy, biding my time until I confronted him. On the other hand, it did give me plenty of time to mull over Rodger's words and help me work out what I wanted to say to Michael.
My hands wrenched nervously. "Just be bold," I whispered, taking a final deep breath and mustering all my courage. I strode into the cave. Michael was gnawing on some bones, probably from some animal he had hunted. Keeping my composure, I tried to sound confident but not demanding. "Hey, Michael. Sorry to interrupt your meal, but we need to talk about something." After stripping off what I believed was a rib bone, looked up at me with his boiling-gold gaze.
Despite them being the color of molten hate, I could sense only loving, familial affection in his eyes. I felt my own flames being tampered once more. I found myself struggling with pursuing this further.
"What is it, Ezra?" Michael asked lightly, his tone sounding dryly amused, before letting out an idle chuckle. "Don't tell me, you want to know when you can start looking for your mother? You know my response, it's the same as always…you're not ready." My hands balled into fists with those words, I wouldn't be denied. His dismissive needling only pressed me further. I should have known it was out of play. Even then, I felt its sting. "Look, Ezra, I've had hundreds of pact partners in my lifetime, and believe me when I say this conversation is nothing I'm unfamiliar with."
"So what you're saying is my concerns don't matter?" I bit out, my fury rising by the second. "Well excuse me, I have to disagree with you! I've been learning all these skills for the past six years and to what end? You obviously have some kind of purpose for me, some plan, and I don't know jack shit about it!" I took a deep breath, trying to calm down. "I can't walk this path if I don't know the destination, Michael. You have to give me something, a little idea of what the endgame is, or this whole thing is just a waste of everybody's time, Rodger's, Devola's, Popola's, and especially mine!"
I turned to leave only for the ground to shake, Michael had reared himself up to his full height. "It is NOT a waste of time! There is a damn good reason you've undergone this training, young man and you will respect it!" I was frozen there for a long moment, knowing I was screwed. Not in an "I'll cook you alive, and eat you" way. I know I'd be grounded, again, if Michael was so inclined to discipline me.
It was then decided to take on a gentler tact instead. He snorted, his voice softening. I turned to face Michael as well, knowing we weren't finished. This time I'd try being more patient. "Fine then, if you must know, then tell me this, child: that day in Minas Tor, did anything…unusual happen?"
"Unusual like what?" I asked, puzzled for a long moment. And then I remembered how the Reaper's blade ripped through Mom's back, blood gushing everywhere. The black flower erupting from her eye, and how it disgorged her, soaked in blood. "Well, there was one thing. It was certainly unnatural enough. I looked through all the records the Twins brought back. The Tracker compendiums, the books on demonology, I even perused old tomes of legends. All of it came up blank. But I know what I saw, it will forever stay in my mind: a black flower coming out of my mother's eye, and spitting up a complete copy of her."
The way the flesh tightened around Michael's eyes was proof I had hit the mark dead-on. He settled on his taloned feet. "That…particular creature will not be found in any record, man or elven. However, it is very well known to the dragons. One of our oldest and most ancient enemies. A demonic plant from another realm, well outside mortal comprehension. It has plagued dragon kind since time immemorial, it destroyed our original homeworld, and it forced us to spread out into other realms, this one included. The flower takes root inside mortal hosts, gaining strength until it blossoms. When it does, it will grow until overruns the entire world, and nothing will be safe."
He stuck his head in close, letting me get a good look at his molten golden eyes. "That cursed Flower is what brought me to Minas Tor. Every dragon can sense it instinctively. However, it, along with your mother, had already vanished by the time I arrived. I…cannot best it on my own. Together, I do think we will have enough strength to stem the tide. That is why I brought you here, Ezra. If you continue your training, keep committing to what everyone teaches you, I know we can stop the flower, and maybe even rescue your mother."
I could feel a new hope rising inside. There was now at least a way to identify this enemy that had taken so much from me. "Okay then, I'll let this go, for now. But I've one last question for you, Michael: when will I know when I'm ready?"
The majestic white dragon just picked up another bone, a femur I believe, and began gnawing on it. "That is not for you to worry about right now, Ezra. You just take it one day at a time, and let me look at the bigger picture." He came down resumed gnawing on the bone, and I left the cave, looking to find Kyana to do some sparring.
All I could do was prepare. My day would come, and revenge would be mine. I wanted to imagine what I'd do after rescuing my mother. I had a hard time picturing her face, though. All I felt was her warmth from my childhood. I wondered if I'd ever feel that again. I steeled myself. I had I lot to do. I couldn't help wondering when I could introduce mom to the new family I'd gained in her long absence. A chuckle rose in my throat, I almost wondered if she'd approve of Kyana. Or maybe Felecia? Or how she'd interact with the others. I was almost starting to wonder if she'd be willing to stay here. There was so much to consider for the future.
I dismissed the distracting thoughts once more, realizing I was being overeager. Counting my Chocobos before they hatched, as they say. All I knew was that the flames of hope were rising high within me. Nothing could stop me from meeting my mom again. Or paying retribution to the bastards who separated us both. Yeah, all I wanted would be mine if I worked hard enough.
I wished I had realized sooner that the future was a fragile thing. There was no such thing as a guarantee. I was owed nothing by reality. That was a bitter pill I'd eventually harshly learn to swallow.
The entire crowd was silent. They were all taking in this vast influx of information. Rita, being a scientist and thus the most analytical mind of their little crew was processing everything Ezra had said about his conversation with Michael. "It's starting to add up now." She finally said, drawing everyone's eye to her. Rita got up and began pacing around. "Your dragon said that the Flower would bloom and envelop the entire world, destroying it. Which is pretty much what the Adephagos is threatening to do right now, sucking all the Aer out of the realm."
"Keep going…" Judith said encouragingly.
"Michael said that the Dragons have fought this Flower for a long time, now. Dragons are magical beasts by nature, so by our world's classification, that means they're effectively a class of Entelexeia. The latter of which has been trying to stop the Adephagos." Rita snorted, her fingers tapping on her hip. "This is way too convenient to be a simple coincidence, but it could be possible that the two of these things are connected somehow."
"So this demonic plant is connected to the giant tentacle spouting vortex in the sky?" Yuri remarked sardonically. "Trippy…"
"A nice little piece of snark." Ezra grinned at the katana user who simply raised his glass. He then turned to Rita, who had since resumed her seat. "I have no doubt you're right on the money with your analysis, Rita. The two are way too similar not to be connected in some way. But I've just begun to tell this story."
"Are you sure you want to?" Estelle asked great melancholy in her pale green eyes, tears beginning to form. "It sounds like you've endured so much trauma through this. I don't want you to have to relive that pain all over again." Ezra just flashed her the smile she knew so well.
"I appreciate your concern, Estelle. I really do. It's sweet you care so much about my well-being, but I feel that I have to now." He said, bowing his head slightly. "I've carried this burden for a long time. Sharing this with you has made that weight a little less. There are moments in my life that tore me right to the bone. If recounting it for you and everyone else helps me make peace with my past, then I'll endure the exile, and lay it all out on the table."
"And you won't have to endure it alone," Fianna said lovingly. "We are all here for you, Ezra, and would never leave you."
"Unlike Rose," Felecia added coldly. Karol shivered a little at the way the Elvish/Human half-breed said it.
"Okay, so keep going then!" Judith said brightly. She had enjoyed hearing about Ezra's early days with the Elves. "Did you spend a lot more time in Calima Nen after that?"
Ezra shook his head; grimness became his expression. "About two years. Rodger left not long after my chat with Michael. He told me to look him up in a town called Vizima once I was ready to begin searching. I knew Ioran and the others would never understand, so I would have to wait and sneak out under the cover of darkness. I remember the night well…"