> Galen Vesa

But fate gave me no choice.

Disregarding any courtesy Noca stormed into my room.

“Mother has fallen ill. She may… She asked for you. Will you come? Please.”

Her eyes searched for hope. Hope I could not give her. Instead I grabbed the leather dress I wore on a daily basis and wiggled myself into a pair of boots.

*I take this is the choice you made?*

Nafira knows I am not her daughter. Let us go and hear what she hast to say. Perhaps it may shed more light on this whole affair.

“Come.”

I jumped over the railing while Erta whispered her charms. The wind cushioned my fall and I bounced away towards the city. I moved much faster now compared to what I could manage on my own.

*That is the idea behind enchants. To make life simpler.*

I sailed through the air with each push of my legs.

*Speaking of legs, your skirt is a tad too breezy for my taste. Perhaps next time you may consider wearing some underwear?*

No point.

*Said the dolt that kept complaining about the lack of proper clothing.*

And by all means I still want some. It’s just that Allynna had a peculiar taste in lingerie.

I’ve sent her a memory of what I found while rummaging through the wardrobe. Not exactly practical. High quality though.

*And it did look good on you.*

Why, want me to go back and get it?

*No. I am afraid that type of cloths are meant to be hastily discarded. Preferably in time it takes to get from hallway to bedroom.*

My thoughts exactly. Although so far I always did the undressing and not the being undressed part.

*A personal question if I may.*

Yes?

*How? I mean your body. The stimulation needed to perform the act…*

There are pills for everything. And yes, I don’t mind having sex. And yes I had quite a few praters. Some I paid. Some paid me. Some searched for something I could not give.

Oh the blushing dragon. Any more questions? We’re almost there.

*No.*

I landed before the doors I knew too well by now but I did not enter. I waited.

A familiar head peek from behind the corner, sobbing. Her eyes were red and swollen and her cheek bore a scarlet mark in the size of an open palm. Her sister’s handiwork?

Slightly out of breath, Noca landed besides me and guided me in and up to their mother’s chambers. She opened the door for me.

“Ally… you came… closer… sit…”

The voice came weak, old and tired.

A stark contrast between the young and beautiful lips that moved when she spoke.

I closed the door behind me and sat at the chair placed next to her.

“Ally…”

She whispered again and streaks of tears tricked down her face.

Erta, can you secure this room? Some charms?

I winced as magic left me in a bright circle expanding from my chest.

*You can speak freely now.*

“We both know I am not your daughter. Why all this show? What do you want?”

“Have you read it?”

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

“Whatever you intend, I am not a murderer. If you want vengeance, seek it elsewhere.”

“Vengeance?”

She chuckled and coughed blood. I picked a wet cloth from the bandstand and cleared her lips.

“Great goddess be my witness, never in my life. Justice? Perhaps. Vengeance? Never.”

“Then why?”

I fixed her pillow and her blanket. Her body seemed oddly cold to the touch. Empty.

“The queen of winds speaks fondly of you.”

“Fear not. I have paid greatly for that knowledge. I will not last much longer. Please, when you leave, take them with you. My daughters. I cannot protect them any longer. Soon they will have to complete their obligations. The gardens… They cannot go there. ”

Another fit of bloody cough left her wheezing and gasping for air.

How troublesome. I can’t do that. I got up and walked to the door, ready to leave but then something stopped me. Something nagging at me. How stupid of me. Why should I care?

“Because you’re such a nice guy? Because deep down inside it annoys you even if you can’t tell?”

“You again?”

The new voice stood by the head of the bed, slightly bent over the elf.

“How did you get out? The others can’t do that.”

“Because I’m special.”

She smiled at me.

“Very special. So special that I know you will make the right choice when the time comes.”

She winked at me and vanished into thin air while I found myself still sitting by the bed.

“Please.”

The priestess eyes were focused at me.

“Selfish. You are so selfish. Pushing your responsibility unto others.”

Her eyes studied me without understanding.

Hey roomie. I got a crazy idea. Wanna join?

*If I must. What is it?*

While you were out snoozing, one annoying elven lady forced me to do many fancy mana exercises. One of those included pushing her mana into my body. Think we can do something similar but on a larger scale? It seems to me that perverted wind has gone and sucked the priestess dry.

Erta scanned the dying woman.

*She does appear to be no more than a breathing corpse. At this point nothing can do more harm to this tree hugger of yours. If you wish to transfer some mana to her, place your palm over her heart*

So I did. I cast the blanket away and let my hand slide underneath her robe.

“What are you…”

Nafira’s eyes suddenly grew larger, terrified.

At the same time I closed my eyes and focused on the power raging within me.

Be gentle. Please.

I asked and imagined what I intended.

*Galen, Stop! Not that much! You will kill her!*

Erta roared within me, wrestling for control. She redirected part of the surging mana outside, away from the elf. The priestess screamed, gasping for air, her body covered in cold sweat. She glowed brightly but appeared unharmed.

Something I could not say about their house. The roof and a large portion of surrounding walls were missing.

Oops.

*You damn dolt. Look what you have done! Worse than a child playing with fire!*

The neighboring houses that usually cast a cool shade in the morning sunlight were also missing. Sprinkled and smeared with dust, Carlila’s head popped up from the wreckage. Not far from her, Noca sat patting out dust from her black dress. The neighbors seemed similarly safe.

No casualties. That’s fine, I think.

Erta, were going now. Erta?

*Dolt, above you.*

I looked up and saw a troop of guards standing on the branches all around us.

“At long last you have shown yourself.”

A woman in long flowing robe and a bright stone embedded in her forehead, gracefully landed few steps away from us. The guards followed her.

“If you thought that trick of yours would save you,”

Her eyes screamed murder.

“You were misled.”

Both sisters stared at me, their eyes focused on my forehead.

The mark of the forgotten was no longer there.