Shadows Over Minaveil
“Too many powers vying for her favor.” ~Schrodie, the Gatekeeper
Recollection: Elizzel
Subject: Elizzel’s identity
Timeframe: Whiteday, Evening, Day 320 of the 27th Year of Monarch Denis
Elizzel longed for the cold, uncaring atmosphere of the Nightmare Lands. She only had her form to blame for it, but getting dragged outside of her home and getting forced into servitude under a cruel king also played its part.
She couldn’t hurt those mortals. Not because of Urzic’s incredibly Blessed Monarch’s Law, but because the rules of her identity simply stated that she couldn’t.
A faunel birthed by Brymeia simply couldn’t hurt her subjects.
In the Nightmare Lands, things were different. She was free to roam, free to kill other Nightmares, free to defend for herself.
Why did she bother venturing near Vyndival in the first place?
Her memories gave her nothing.
She couldn’t remember a lot of things, actually.
But today, the Visitor arrived and freed her from the shackles of suffering. Her purpose had returned—according to her memories or what was left of it at least. She no longer needed this form. Years spent as this enormous Nightmare had finally reached its end.
But which one to take? Her choices were few. No, she didn’t have much of a choice.
I don’t like being human. The thought caused an eerie reflection of the Forest Jaw’s psyche, reverberating a menacing aura that echoed through the meiyal in the air. Animals and lesser Nightmares quickly made themselves scarce. At least here, on the other side of the Rindea Mountain Range, she need not control her emotions.
No mortal casualties.
“Nor would there be any witnesses,” said a voice behind her. The voice was mixed with other distracting echoes to hide its origin’s gender. Elizzel craned her massive neck to find a small mortal hidden underneath a large cloak. Whoever this was, the stranger made enough effort to hide any details that would give away who was underneath.
“Because I can’t reveal myself yet,” the stranger said. “And no, I can’t read your thoughts. I just know what you’re thinking.”
Heart’s Will?
“I said I can’t read your thoughts, Elizzel.”
What do you want? And how do you know my name? Elizzel thought. There was no connection, no thread to attach to, for any form of telepathy to be made. She could come up with a few theories, but none of it would prove anything nor help in the current situation.
“I know your name because I should. And I need your help,” the stranger allegedly replied. “Or, more accurately, they need your help.
“Do not change your form yet. Selfiya Lunasensia will approach you through her Soul’s Walk. You need to help her and Venry from the Nightmares.”
Why would a Void Mother need my help? Elizzel turned away, choosing to ignore the stranger.
“I don’t know either. But she’ll approach you within the hour. Help them. And don’t change until Whiteday next week—before you meet with Frein.”
The entire statement caused alarms in Elizzel’s head, forcing her to snap back at the stranger despite her previous choice. Do you have any idea what you’re asking of me?
“Yes,” the stranger readily replied. No movement, no eye contact. Nothing. “If they can’t handle it, this world is already done for.”
And what made you think I would even acquiesce to this?
“Because if you don’t, you, Venry, those three Vyndivalians, and the Void Mother will all be dead before Frein can even do anything about it.”
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
The absurdity of the claim made Elizzel blink. The stranger was gone. She considered if the whole thing was a hallucination. A fragment made due to withdrawal away from the Nightmare Lands? No, Forest Jaws never had hallucinations; they caused them.
Driven by curiosity, an hour of waiting slowly passed. And just as Elizzel thought it was all really just a figment of her imagination, a human silhouette appeared from a tree in front of her.
“Elizzel,” said the human-shaped roots and wood, despite all of the Forest Jaw’s surprise. “My name is Selfiya Lunasensia, Void Mother of the Western Sanctum. I need your help.”
End of Recollection: Returning to the Present
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A week has passed since Elizzel’s encounter with the stranger and the Void Mother Lunasensia’s Soul’s Walk.
She remained in her Jaws Lurking in the Forest form, convinced now that the stranger’s words might have held some weight. She had spent the entire week accumulating meiyal for her transformation, resting and recovering from her wounds, and scouting for other strong Nightmares. So far, only three other Forest Jaws territories surrounded the other side of the Rindea Mountain Range. As long as Venry followed the Void Mother’s instructions, he should reach the abandoned port without issue sometime tonight.
Suddenly, the stranger’s statement made sense. If she had changed forms sooner, Venry would be dead and the Void Mother would be stuck wherever she was imprisoned. She hadn’t seen the three Vyndivalians—though Selfiya only mentioned two—but they would probably die as well.
But as a consequence, it didn’t bode well for her meeting with Frein.
I’m just a stupid faunel…
The thought caused some small plants to wither and die. A flock of birds fled to the air. Bugs and insects melted and decayed. Nothing too drastic compared to what was to come after she completed her transformation.
The meiyal surrounding her and the amount radiating from within her physical form combined in clumps of bright residue, filling the forest with magnificent colors.
The pieces of light began converging into one point at the top of the Forest Jaws’ head. It gathered so much light that the night seemed clear as day. Time passed, seconds turned to minutes, and finally the light began to fade, revealing a small creature from within its blur.
She had sweet pink hair with length the height of her slender body, a pair of hands and feet for limbs, and a small head gemmed with a golden yellow eye on her right and an azure blue eye on her right.
She emerged from the light unclothed but the remaining residue of concentrated meiyal dispersed into smoke and collected into light brown robes that covered her body. She exhaled out a breath, exhausted from the transformation. And the Jaws Lurking in the Forest’s body remained as still as death itself.
“I never figured you to retake on a person’s form,” said a voice from the shadows. “I thought you hated them.”
“Times change, Schrodie,” Elizzel said. She jumped off the Nightmare’s head and landed on the ground as softly as a feather, her robes falling in slow motion. “And I thought you’ll only speak to me with my twin’s face?”
“Your twin?” Schrodie revealed himself, appearing so abruptly by Elizzel’s side. Parts of his figure distorted randomly in and out of reality.
“She gave this body to me willingly,” Elizzel said adamantly.
“Are you sure about that?”
“That’s what I remember.”
“If you say so.”
Determined not to sour her mood, Elizzel returned to her original question. “So, where is she?”
“Kristella is busy,” the Gatekeeper replied. His face flickered to someone Elizzel recognized. Maybe a Veli, or an Arcturus hero from thousands of years ago. “She has reason to believe that Kielmera is making a move.”
“He’s not. He can’t. He’ll just be a worse Zerax’thum.”
“No one can be worse than Zerax’thum, Elizzel. Even without most of your memories, you know that to be true.”
A pain surfaced on her chest; a memory long forgotten. The frustrations of not knowing why despite the boiling emotion ripped at the faunel’s exhausted state.
“Then, what of Liang?”
“Far away. No instructions.”
Elizzel sighed, defeated. Her vision blurred and her knees collapsed. She started to fall. Her weightlessness eased her down Schrodie’s arms like soft cloth falling with grace.
“Why wait this long to transform?” the Gatekeeper inquired.
With sheer concentration to remain conscious, the faunel funneled as much meiyal within her. It gave her a boost, but it was barely anything substantial.
“I think there’s someone with a Death’s Wish.”
Multiple features appeared around Schrodie’s body as though all personalities that gathered within the Gatekeeper turned their attention to her.
“Are you sure?” he asked.
Elizzel weakly shook her head. “But someone predicted my thoughts and the events last week.”
“That’s not enough proof.”
“I know.”
Schrodie nodded in understanding. “Thank you for letting me know.” He floated into the air, carrying Elizzel towards a high tree branch just above the Forest Jaws. The tree quickly grew more branches to cradle the faunel, giving her enough space to toss and turn during her sleep.
“So,” Elizzel began, barely conscious now. “How long do we have this time?”
Schrodie showed two faces in a split-second difference, a disappointed one followed by a celebrating one before returning to distortion. “Not very long, I’m afraid. Best case: the Visitor would deteriorate after a year as usual. He’ll be lucky enough to last for half a year after that.”
“And worst case?”
“If it was a failure, it’ll be right after he integrates with The Seventh Fragment.”
“We can’t wait for three more Visitors, Schrodie. I don’t think I can last that long to help you.” Elizzel couldn’t feel her limbs anymore. Her eyelids had long since closed, too tired for any visual stimulus.
“You can, but Forimeyn can’t. Frein is their one and only chance.”
“Then I should act as fast as possible...”
Schrodie made half a smile so clear, he seemed a complete person for a moment. “I don’t think it’ll be that simple.”
“What do you mean?” Elizzel forced an eye open. The golden yellow sparkled with extravagance from the residue of meiyal still spreading out of her body. She was blanking out.
“He’s grown attached to the people here.”
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