Elektra was crouching beside the Shaman, trying to terminate the flow of his soul or something from his body with her fingers. Her face was turned away from the group, for whom the world had stopped moving. Their eyes were on the immobile form of the child, small in death. Somewhere, Nimuel was gasping for breathe, her voice struggling to find a scream that should eventually rise the dead. Saayan was whispering something, something in the language of the Shadow Realm, and Aelanor could not make out anything. There was some sort of cushion being pushed over the eardrums of her ear, and the world around her was trying to fade. However, her objective was clear: to clear out of the Nightmare's Isles without any further casualty. One look at Nimuel and Aelanor ran towards her. "You bitc-" Nimuel's words were muffled as Aelanor's palms covered her mouth and dragged her away. "Aelanor-" "Shh, Nimuel, listen-" "Aelanor, Haz'th-" Nimuel's eyes sparkled with tears and hatred for the witch,
Nimuel shrieked. Saayan went silent. And Aelanor moved faster than the speed of light. She reached behind Nimuel and broke off the head of an icicle and drew it against the intruder."Your endeavor is futile, Princess, for I cannot be harmed by a shard of ice."Pylaieus moved slowly towards them, blue lights falling on his bare skin like thousands of bioluminescent planktons in water at night. His gait was steady, and so was his piercing gaze, that held the trio in a dead lifelessness.""I am warning you, Centaur..." Aelanor took an unsteady step towards him."The name is Pylaieus, and you will do well to remember that.""Pylaieus, listen, it is not what you think," Nimuel said."It is precisely what I think, and understand, Lady Saeltheriel. There is no use trying to deceive me. You are trying to destroy the Kingdom, and take down Elektra with it. But you have no path forward, none at all, getting out of here." Pylaieus said."Then do what you must," Aelanor roared, "and we will figh
Her breathe fogged her vision to the yonder. She waited for it to dissipate, so that she would be able to enjoy her last days at this place. She would be sorry to go, but she had no choice. The green and orange rocks surrounding the Scottish Highlands looked exactly the same as they have been over the past fifteen years, but she could not get enough of them. The cold, winter sun reflecting on the seas beyond formed diamonds that glittered with every sway of the wind. Her eyes scanned the horizon that was getting tinted with brown and grey clouds, and she sighed. It was the same all over, but she felt sad for Applecross, the village that she had stayed for so many years, and had come to love. A pair of footsteps sounded behind her, and a younger looking girl came out, her face flushed. She was about a head shorter, and frail-looking. Her face was pale and soft as a petal, and seemed to radiate an unearthly glow. Her
"I never really appreciated how much I have changed in all these years of living in the mortal world," Aelanor huffed, "the distance to the base of the Highlands is staggering.""Don't tell me you're already tired," Nimuel smiled through her eyes. She didn't look perturbed at all."We have been walking for almost two days, Nimuel, and I have long since forgotten how it feels like to be an elf again," Aelanor tucked the curls that had come loose behind her sharp, pointed ear, "how I wish I had your feather tread, and that light structure!""It's more than that, I have been walking up and down the hills for the past few months," Nimuel replied, "but you are welcome to feel envious of my innate qualities.""I do not envy you," Aelanor pouted."Right," Nimuel smirked, "anyway, I sent Cugu to ask for help; Jamim will meet us shortly at the base of the hills."Half
The clearing shifted to invite the sparkling moonlight in the dark forest. There was some rustling, and gigantic oaks and cedars and others appeared in the clearing, mouths hanging open, unable to believe."Aelanor?" an old voice wheezed."Is that you, Eriobuild?""Yes, my child. You have come back!"Aelanor ran blindly through the trees and the ents, who moved away to let her pass, and hugged the great tree guardian. Tears flowed freely from her eyes as her other friends from childhood formed a circle around her, looking happier than they must have been in decades."Oh, how we have missed you, dear Aelanor!" one of them cried."We thought we'd lost you," sniffed an older one.Aelanor looked all around her, smiling through her tears. All of her childhood friends were there,Ashshell andProtus and Borassus. They looked wea
"I must admit I was quite skeptical about you coming back to The Eternal Utopia, daughter." King Naemar said, "When you left, I thought you were a woman of your words. I suppose that vanished when that mortal husband of yours died, isn't it, Aelanor? Or should I call you Emilia?""Still an absolute delight, after all these years, Father. How you are able to maintain that cheerful disposition is beyond me," Aelanor rolled her eyes."We do not age, my dear, so we do not change, unlike you," he gloated. "And Nimuel, how charming to see you! I trust you do not have any regrets for following your cousin to mortality, and the abhorrent mortal world?""No, my King," Nimuel bowed, "I am quite content in the mortal world, and I do not regret my decision at all. I trust you are great yourself?""Yes, thank you," King Naemar scowled at her, unable to string any more insults, then turned to Aelanor. "What do you
"Mother!"A mortal lifetime of a hundred years was not enough for Queen Gaelamar to forget the voice of her daughter. Her eyes opened slowly, deep into the sockets of her pale, frail face. Her lips were chapped, and white, with green veins running like tree sap through them. Once a figure of great might and beauty, the Queen of the North looked nothing like her former self."Aelanor," she whispered, as she tried to pull herself on her elbows."Mother, I am here," Aelanor bowed down to the Queen's bedside, her face shocked and devastated. "Please, do not strain yourself much.""Oh, my daughter," Queen Gaelamar's face shined with hope and joy, something she had not felt in a long time, "I have no fear of anything anymore, my dear. You a
A raggedy-looking old man was sitting in the waiting chambers of the Queen. As the helpers levitated the bed directly into the room, the Queen weak and tired with all the excitement of the morning, Aelanor and Nimuel followed them."O, wise Shaman of the mortal lands, I welcome thee to the castle once more," the Queen said in a weak voice.The Shaman didn't seem to hear her. His eyes were closed, and he seemed to be in some sort of trance. Not wanting to disrespect him, the elves stood there, silent.An eerie energy passed through the room, as everyone lost track of time. It seemed like hours, or seconds that the Shaman just sat there, apparently asleep. Slowly, he opened his eyes."I have never been to the elven lands before," he wheezed.The Queen looked confused as she said, "But, Your Reverance, you did come to us a few years back, and you said some words. Pardon us, o wise Shaman, but none of our counsellors could comprehend them, and you left