Em paced along the outside of the room and pulled a wand from the inside of their suit jacket. They walked up to Skymara, a nearly identical elf, and tapped the wand against her chair. She rolled her eyes and stood next to her sibling.
“If you would all humor me for some self-indulgence,” They grinned and grabbed her hand, “I would love to illustrate a wonderful tale from the Unclaimed Isle.”
The audience murmured at their words. Only a few beings still lived from the wars on the isle. Less so remembered the land. The Blesséd Three were ones that returned regularly to interact with the creatures there. Everyone knew they stopped going after one of siblings died.
“A tale of love, of loss,” They waved the wand as lights decorate the air around them, “Of grand adventure.”
Mira’s ears perked up as she heard shuffling behind them. Bo placed a hand on her arm as she turned to investigate. She noticed a small band setting up opposite the announcer. Jaspen grinned and nodded to her happily as he set up his chair. She looked back to the odd elf that continued the story.
“Not many remember the wars as well as my sister and I,” They wrapped an arm around Skymara’s waist, “After all, we are nearly 400 now, aren’t we?”
“Emmy, dear,” She rolled her eyes, “You make us sound ancient. The war began a century before we were born.”
“The great war to claim the unclaimed,” Their wand twirled through the air and the small band behind them began to play an underlying melody to the tale.
The sparkling lights swirled erratically until they burst into small fireworks. The audience clapped and Em continued to move around the room. The light show flew upwards and settled against the ceiling. Mira kept her eyes on the elf as everyone else looked to the shapes forming above. Each continent sparkled into view and danced as Em spoke.
“Zrud, Vanora, Agrowl, and Saceida sent their strongest warriors to the shores of the mystical isle,” A vaporous cloud appeared between the four landmasses, “More beautiful than any other place. Untouched by man, undisturbed by modern rules, a wildly natural place. Nobody knew what we would find when we stepped from our ships and onto the unclaimed.”
The band behind them accented the speech by playing dissonant cord. Their wand swished and the lights collapsed to the ground. A large figure grew as a dark mist pulled the warmth from the room to it. Mira tensed as she recognized the form. The silvery hair dangled behind a white mask. The glowing lilac orbs behind it peered over the audience and they screamed at the sight. Mira tensed and felt her nails dig into Bo’s arms.
“An illusionist, remember?” He leaned to whisper calmly in her ear, “Nobody knows but us.”
“Now, this monster slaughtered many people,” Em slashed the wand like a sword at the wispy figure, “After all, we stormed the shores of its land and tried to steal its treasure. It had never seen the likes of us.”
Ghostly figures of every race appeared around the room and ran towards the monster. It slashed at them desperately. As its claws connected, the victims poofed from existence again.
“The monster only had one weakness,” Em chuckled at his manifested wraith.
Magical blue lights drifted around the wand before it solidified into a beautiful bouquet of dazzling sparkles. Em handed it to the wraith. The figure cautiously reached for it and snatched the offering away. It’s awkwardly long fingers pulled one of the flowers out and held it above its shadowy face.
“Something we would all fight for.”
The flower morphed into a golden feminine form with the blue petals for hair. It hugged the wraith happily and cupped the creatures face. More golden figures appeared from and danced around the room to the swaying music. The men around Mira’s table chuckled at the display.
“The monster cared for the land’s people,” Em moved their hands and many more figures of creatures popped up to crowd the room further, “And them for it.”
As more of the shapely lights rushed towards the figure, it exploded into dark blue lights that rained down onto the crowd. The room clapped at the display and Em walked over to the band. The magician tapped the wand against the shoulders of the musicians. Each one laughed as their instruments grew opalescent leaves and sparkling flowers.
Em tapped the wand against each table and forestry whimsically blossomed from the centerpieces. The vines wrapped around utensils playfully and clinked glass cups together. Small, golden flowery dancers chittered about to the amusement of all. The tiny, faceless figures fluttered about the table doing menial tasks. One of the more feminine shapes brushed the hair as she sat on a growing vine. Two spun each other in a jaunty dance. Another lifted someone smaller in their shoulder. One offered a flower to everyone at the table. Bo plucked the offering and tucked it behind Mira’s ear.
“After we, the Blesséd Three, entered the isle,” Em held a hand to their sister, “We decided to use our powers to bring harmony between the lands. My brother, my sister, and I approached the monster with open ears and arms to end the hate.”
Three small figures on each table in white, green, and blue lights danced towards a small wraith that formed in the center. The three bowed or knelt to the figure and offered small gifts. The wraith accepted the gifts gracefully. The elven shapes joined the display of golden figures in what they did. The white elf mixed cauldrons of liquids, the green elf danced happily along a dim fire, and the blue elf practiced the same motions as the dark shadow in the center.
“We learned about their culture, their ways. We became ambassadors to end the needless war against the Unclaimed Isle,” Em twirled the wand again and another bouquet of sparks exploded into flower petals that drifted in the air around them, “We, the Blesséd Three, gifted by the goddess herself with magnificent power, implored the crowns to end the war and accept that the isle would never be taken by man. Only natural would live there peacefully.”
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The starry map reappeared above them. The glowing elves from each table jumped upwards into the scene. The trio dramatically pleaded with different figures of elves in fancily clothes, orcs in tribal attire, humans bundled in cloth, and dwarves in glittering gold in their native lands. As the trio stopped at the dwarves in Zrud, Em knelt to Queen Azalea and placed her hand against their forehead.
“It was your dearest great, great grandfather, King Brafglenn, that agreed to end the war first. The dwarves receded from the Unclaimed Isle. Followed by the humans, the elves, and the orcs,” Em stood and waved a hand through the air and each race disappeared until only the trio of colors remained, “After the last ship left the isle, a mysterious mist entrapped it.”
A grey steam oozed from the growing vines in the room until all the tables, walls, and chairs were covered in the dense fog. The shining green eyes peered at Mira with an odd twerk off their head. The white elf stepped towards Skymara with a solemn glance and wrapped her in a tight hug.
“Once the fog settled, no ship has ever made it through,” Em, “Even our dearest brother has yet to return. One day, we hope to see him again, but we know our friends on the isle treasure him as much as we do.”
The showy elf’s form multiplied across the room until one stood at each table. Each corporeal body was as realistic as the next. The audience murmured about where the real one could be. Mira kept her eyes locked on them exactly. The wry smirk from the elf made her curious at their intentions. As the fog dissipated, the elf dipped their head and stepped towards Mira. In fact, each Em body stepped towards the youngest woman at every table.
Her amber eyes narrowed as the real Em approached her table in purpose. Bo gripped her knee to get her attention and nodded assuredly. The elf knelt at her side and placed Bobabano’s hand on hers.
“If there’s one thing I’ve learned since I’ve visited the isle and returned,” They grinned, “It’s that true love tames any wild beast.”
The audience awed as the elf copies flicked their wrists and a small flower emerged. Each Em offered a different flower to a person at the tables, but there was something strange about the one handed to Mira. Instead of soft petals, the crystal flower was carved rock with a glowing center. The iridescent gleam trapped inside of the offering triggered a recollection from her mother’s memories. Encante hummed curiously as Mira watched it play.
Calosa stood proudly on a rugged beach as waves crashed against hard rocks. She turned to three nearly identical snowy white elves with another at their side. Her eyes lingered on the blue elf longer than made Mira comfortable. Her frizzy hair stuck to her face as hugged each of them. As the emerald eyed elf wrapped their arms around her, Calosa’s bushy tail wagged happily. The satyr pulled a crystal flower from a pouch at her hip and handed it to them.
As the memory blinked away, Mira stared into the worried emerald eyes of the elf in front of her. They searched her face for any recollection. She placed her hand gently over the crystal and smiled softly.
“May the light of friendship lead the way home,” She repeated the words her mother had spoken to them centuries ago.
“It is wonderful to meet you,” Em beamed at the words and leaned to whisper in her ear, “Daughter of Calosa.”
The copies of Em stood and pointed wands towards the ceiling. The real Em walked back towards the dais where the queen and prince sat. The elf bowed deeply to the dwarves and turned to the crowd.
“May the Goddess bless us this day!”
“Here, here!” Bo raised his goblet.
As the room cheered at the show, Mira studied the strange rock in her hands. She looked back up at the elf, the band’s song ended. When Em bowed a final time, the magical display around them snapped out of existence. The startled room gasped at the sudden disappearance.
The Mysterious Magnificent Em no longer stood in the room.
“What a show!” The fisherman next to Bo clapped, “It was so realistic.”
“Yes!” A woman at another table laughed, “I almost forgot where we were!”
The frozen flower in Mira’s hand stayed after all the other magic disappeared. Instead of the brilliant luminescence of the gift, the now clear crystal reflected only a memory back at her. She touched the surface as the satyr pulled the mask over her face and transformed into the wraith she knew.
As the dinner progressed, Mira kept quiet. People at their table remarked on her impeccable dining skills, considering her past. Others stopped by to ask when Bobabano’s wedding would be. She lowered her head to hide her face behind a curtain of hair. After enough time had passed, she tapped Bo’s foot to get his attention. He understood her signal.
“You should at least appear amused,” Bo ran a finger along her chin, “What’s wrong, my mermiana?”
“I am merely exhausted from today’s events,” She pulled the cloth napkin from her lap and dabbed at the edges of her mouth, “I apologize for my lack of conversation. I believe I need to lay down.”
“Are you feeling ill?” He stood to pull out her chair, “I can call for a –”
“No, my sweet Bobabano,” She smiled softly and placed a hand against his chest, “Would you have Amethyst escort me home?”
He frowned, “You can surely take a room near here if you feel that unwell.”
“I know of just a room,” A snowy white elf wrapped her gloved hand around Mira’s arm, “Please, Lady Mira, allow me to show you.”
“Thank you, High Sorceress,” She bowed her head in acknowledgement of the rouse, “I appreciate your kindness.”
“Of course!” She smiled, “Captain Bobabano, if you are concerned for the lady’s health, please feel free to join us.”
“It was wonderful to meet all of you,” Bo shook the hands of everyone at the table, “I will keep in contact after the matches tomorrow to follow up on our business. For now, my bride needs me.”
“Of course!” The fisherman waved, “I’m sure we will see each other again soon.”
Jonen watched as Skymara led Mira from the dining hall. Mira stumbled in the heeled shoes and Bobabano caught her before she fell. He watched as more notably powerful people in the room stood and followed after her. Ravenna followed his eyes and frowned.
“Where is she going to?” She whispered under her breath, “She looks sickly.”
“Excuse me,” Jonen placed his napkin on the table.
Ravenna reached out and touched his arm, “Sir Jonen, I –”
“I would love to continue our conversation, Lady Ravenna,” He respectfully bowed his head, “But I’m afraid I must heed nature’s call.”
“Oh!” She pushed her glasses up her nose and held her hand to block her face, “Yes, of course.”
Jonen took the opportunity to leave from the nearest exit. As he had once traveled through every nook and cranny of the palace to find some of Skymara’s experiments, he knew where to hide to get pass the guards. It was much easier as an honored guest that happened to be lost. He paced down the halls until he heard whispers and listened in.
“It’s an honor to meet you formally, High Sorceress,” Mira whispered.
“Lady Mira, please,” The elf chuckled, “Just call me Skymara –or Sky, should you feel so inclined.”
“As long as you stop calling me Lady, then.”
“Yes. Amethyst informed us you do not enjoy the titles,” The elf’s throat cleared, “I’ve warded a room for us this way.”
Jonen listened as the footsteps receded down the hallway and followed after them. After they turned a corner. He rushed and waited against the wall. He just needed to know that Mira was safe. If they did something to her, then this would be the place to cover it up.
“Who else are we waiting for?” Bobabano asked, “Tiero is staying behind to protect Ravenna.”
“Em is schmoozing with some of the dwarves,” A chuckle echoed through the hall, “I’m sure they will join us too.”