They journeyed up the road quickly, taking little time to admire the scenery. Though Relma could still take in the birds chirping and the breeze through the trees a bit. She hadn't seen many of these paths before and doubted she'd come by them again. So she took what time she could to memorize landmarks and remember what she saw.

In a few weeks, she'd probably forget it all. But that was no reason not to try and keep track of it. You only had one chance to walk by a place and time, so why waste it?

Even so, Relma felt sick from what she'd seen before and was glad to leave it behind. The idea that someone who hoped, dreamed, and breathed could be reduced to a feast for flies disturbed her. Not that she had anything against flies, she'd always avoided swatting them. But the fragility of mortal existence bothered her.

Why did people have to die in so many terrible and horrible ways? And why did Relma and people like them have to help them to those deaths? Relma had inspired armies to fight; even if she'd saved lives, she'd also ended them. Or at least inspired other people to end them with Lightning Trail.

It bothered her.

And it bothered her more than Relma would eventually have to kill someone directly. Or at least she would if she kept getting into battles like this. All the more reason to avoid them, she supposed.

Of course, she knew there were souls. The meat and bone she apparently consisted of was just a shell, but that didn't stop her from worrying. Would she one day be a feast for flies? Or would her corpse be burned or buried?

She was saved from morbid thoughts by Estela. Her knight asked the question Relma had wondered about. "Who was this Lucius? And why would he be interested in Relma?" asked Estela.

"That, Estela, is a very complicated story," said Aunt Pan, looking haunted. "Every race that is born has a god they were given to when they were first created. It is this god's responsibility to look after them and guide them. Every race except the satyrs."

"Why not them?" asked Relma. "Don't they need a god?"

"They do, though they may be beyond help," said Aunt Pan. "The satyrs did not develop naturally. They are not a race by themselves but a twisted version of another race. Humans. to be more specific."

"What do you mean?" asked Relma.

"When the races were created in the beginning, there were two of each kind," said Aunt Pan. "A man and a woman. From them, the entire race is descended, and their lives shape all the lives to come. For humans, the male was Lucius. The female was Evoria".

"So, what does this have to do with satyrs?" asked Estela.

"There are many stories about what happened," said Aunt Pan. "But what is agreed is that Lucius had a competitive streak. He wanted humans to be the best and became obsessed with outdoing all the other races.

"He did such a good job of it that the gods had to intervene."

"They set limits on the lifespans of all the races. Humans were given a smaller lifespan, and Lucius did not take it well.

"He murdered Evoria and then killed himself in a dark ritual. And from their blood sprang the satyrs. It was the ultimate abomination.

"The first man and women of a race have within them their entire race. When Lucius murdered Evoria, he left many of his species unborn. From there, he used that species and created the satyrs.

"He then set them on the elves with a single purpose. To kill them all."

Relma felt a chill go through her blood. Somehow, she knew the truth was, if possible, even darker. She felt like crying at the prospect of all the tragedy that would result. Not that she showed it. "That's a bit of an overreaction, isn't it?"

"Lucius believed that the elves were favored by the gods. That his own species had been neglected," said Aunt Pan. "Since he couldn't strike at the gods, he decided to destroy their perceived favorites. And he almost succeeded.

"The Dreamer Elves were completely wiped out. The Dust Elves fled and became nomads. The High Elves would have been destroyed too if Elranor hadn't sent humans and dwarves to aid them."

"So satyrs were born to destroy the elven species?" said Estela. She didn't sound nearly as affronted at the idea as she should. In fact, her tone was almost fascinating.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

"Yes," said Aunt Pan. "They scorn the teachings of the gods and worship Lucius as their ancestor. Their other gods are demons, like Melchious and Zigildrazia."

"What is this Unborn God, though?" asked Relma.

"A myth," said Ajax. "The satyrs believe that the blood they spill is filling the body of a god that has not been born. One who will arise and preside over the destruction of all things someday."

"It's laughable," said Aunt Pan. "Gods are not born. They either have existed since before the universe. Or their domain has passed to someone worthy of it. You cannot create a new domain."

"So humans and satyrs have the same ancestor," said Relma thoughtfully. It all clicked with what she knew and what her greater self knew.

"Yes," said Aunt Pan with a sigh. "That is why they can interbreed. No other two races can do so. Though some sources say the Dreamer Elves could."

"But why would Lucius want to come after me?" Relma questioned. That was something that her other self had no answers to.

"I do not know," admitted Aunt Pan. She looked all the more haunted and seemed about to say something. Then she thought better of it and said something else. "This bears further investigation. We'll speak with De Cathe once we reach the border."

"De Cathe won't know anything," said Ajax, confident and bold. The real question was why and Estela seemed to ask it at once.

"And I suppose you do?" asked Estela, looking at him with irritation. Estela and De Cathe were close allies and friends. Estela had always placed loyalty as a prize virtue, and De Cathe had been loyal to her family for generations.

The House had done very well by association with House Vortegex.

"I know more than you," said Ajax, giving her a confident smirk. "You want to get someone's reasons for acting; you ask them. I'm going on ahead. I'll talk with the satyr chieftains and see what all this is about."

"Do you actually know satyr chieftains?" asked Relma. She hadn't known about this.

"I know all of them," said Ajax. "And their ancestors too." Then he surged off into the woods and was gone with hardly a rustle. How had he disappeared so fast and so quickly? Relma wondered if he was coming back at all.

Probably, she thought. She and Ajax had gotten on pretty well so far, and they seemed to be past the enemy stage. She liked him, and he liked her.

"We'll continue as planned for now," said Aunt Pan, frustratedly closing her eyes.

"I'm surprised you aren't telling me to go back to Gel Carn, Aunt Pan," said Relma, more for teasing than anything.

Aunt Pan smiled. This time, it was warm, and she looked at Relma without the "You are growing up, Relma. And the safest place here is with me anyway. Lucius is not someone easily crossed."

"Have you fought him before?" asked Relma.

"I've met him," said Aunt Pan. "When I was just a girl."

"So what was he like?" asked Relma.

Aunt Pan looked afraid at the memory, something Relma had never seen from her before. "He never shows his face. He appears as a robed figure, and he is very courteous. There is no malice in him. Neither is there is any kindness.

"I don't know why he does what he does."

"That doesn't sound like a satyr god," said Relma. "Didn't you work with satyrs in Khasmir, Estela?"

"I did," said Estela. "They were everything I expected. Savage, vicious barbarians who lived for blood and death. They cared as little about each other's lives as they did about ours."

"It isn't entirely their fault," said Aunt Pan. "They were formed for the purpose of kinslaying. It is tough for them to get beyond that."

"Kinslaying?" asked Relma. "They were born to kill elves."

"In a sense, the mothers and fathers of the races were brothers and sisters," said Aunt Pan. "In that sense, the satyrs were born to destroy their cousins."

"That's very weak," said Relma.

"Whether it is or not, we should make camp here," said Estela, halting.

"Why here?" asked Relma.

Estela pointed up, and Relma saw the moon rising above them. "It is getting very dark. I don't want to move at night. Lucius has more power, then. He is on good terms with the Moon Spirit."

"I'll take the first watch," said Relma.

Aunt Pan drew several canteens from her bag and handed them to Relma. She took it in her hands. "You can start by getting some water from the river. Refill these, will you."

"Oh right," said Relma.

Turning, she made her way south toward the river. Coming to it, she kneeled down, opened up a canteen, and brought it down toward the river. But as she did, the river receded. When she brought it back up again, the river came back. Relma waded in and tried again, but it receded all the faster.

"... That's odd," said Relma.

She turned away, whirled around, and tried again. But the river sank into the earth. With nothing else to do, Relma moved back to the road. "Aunt Pan, we've got a problem."

"What is it?" asked Aunt Pan as she set up a fire.

"I'm trying to fill the waterskins, but the river won't let me," said Relma.

Aunt Pan looked up. Her eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?" Her voice was sharp.

"Whenever I stoop down, it recedes," said Relma, unsure what to make of it. "Then, when I rise again, it comes back."

"I see," said Aunt Pan before rising. "Let me handle this."

And back they went to the river. There, Aunt Pan waded in, her dress floating around her as she kneeled in the river. Her hands caught the current. She closed her eyes. As she did, she seemed to reflect the sun's waning light. The light of the moon also came forward.

"Asacoth, is it?" she asked. "Would you care to explain why you are denying us water?"

A figure cloaked in water appeared. Nothing could be made of his features, and the current seemed to flow over him or her. "Lucius instructed us to do so."

"I wasn't aware you took orders from him," said Aunt Pan.

"He is of the first. His commands are law," said Asacoth.

"He lost the right to command the lands when he murdered Evoria," said Aunt Pan.

"So you say. But the dread of him is on every beast of the earth, air, and sea," said Asacoth. "He was granted power over us, and I shall not cross him."

"I was granted power as well, Asacoth, and I remain in the god's favor," said Aunt Pan. "Do not cross me over something so petty."

'It is not petty," said Asacoth. "Without water, you will die. Until the Heir of Kings is in Lucius' grip, all the land shall be your enemy. The trees shall whisper your location to His servants. The wind shall whistle with your plans. And all the world shall seek your ruination."

"Very poetic, Asacoth," said Aunt Pan. "You will deliver water to us. The Sorceress Pandora commands it!" And her will flow out across the stream. As it did, the water cloak seemed to flow in a gust. A hand was raised against her.

"...I shall... not... yield..." said Asacoth.

"You will," said Aunt Pan. "For my will and the gods will are the same."

"Then your will is without focus..." shot back Asacoth.

"Deliver unto us water. Now," hissed Aunt Pan.

For a moment longer, there seemed a terrible strain. Then the water flowed out around Pan, leaving her clothes dry and rising into the air. "...So be it..." said Asacoth's voice.

Aunt Pan walked out, and the water returned to normal. Relma tried the waterskin again, and the water filled it in mere moments. She looked up to Aunt Pan. "What was that?"

"I had forgotten," said Aunt Pan. "The first of the races had a natural affinity with the spirits of the land. They could command the trees to yield fruit, and they would. Still, Lucius has yet to make such commands for many years.

"He must want you captured a great deal."

They filled the waterskins and walked back. As they did, Relma reflected that she'd never seen Aunt Pan act so openly before. She'd always known she was powerful, and she'd been aware for years now that she was Pandora the Sorceress.

But she never acted directly until now.

"So what took you?" asked Estela as they came back.

"We're going to have a long road ahead of us, Estela," said Aunt Pan, looking tired.

Things had just gotten interesting.

But then, interesting was not a good thing. It meant that Relma and Estela were going to have a lot of work to do. And they'd had plenty of that on this journey already.

Even so, Relma intended to do all she could to help Estela.