Essen rushed away from the park, excited to get back to the elders with the news. It had been a risk going alone to talk to the interloper but he thought it was quite worth it. Not only would he now have proved himself worthy to be ascended, his skill obviously great enough to deceive the interloper, but he had proof that the foolish human had no other plans than to try and convince them to stop fighting.
He couldn’t blame the human, though. It was not their fault that their capability for deep thought was reduced to such a small amount. It was due to the bright sun in this world, or so was his theory. There was simply no need to have such a bright light shining so constantly. Did they not have powers to see without this ungainly orb in the sky?
He nodded his head politely at a duo of guards who were walking the other way. It disgusted Essen that he had to be so nice to the humans when he was disguised but the knowledge that all of their hard work would pay off with a delightful feast at the end brought limitless motivation to remain in disguise.
Increasing his pace, Essen continued the rush to the elders. They didn’t have much time until the interloper started growing her nasty plants at a speed that would allow the tension and fear they had been building in the town to diminish. There was just no way that they could allow that to happen. Then, the elders would have the right of preference taken away for this city and the other clans would be allowed to move in. It simply couldn’t be allowed. If the other clans were allowed to take part in the assault on this town, the feast would be split between too many mouths.
Essen finally reached the house of the elders and was allowed in, though he did receive an angry glare from the guard on duty. Yelza was far too rigid to play the part of most humans but their guards did tend to be quite similar in attitude. Well, let Yelza play their part as a human guard and Essen would, as the more adaptable one, finally be granted the permission to ascend. Of course, he could ascend without the elder's permission but that would result in a quick banishment if he was lucky, death if he was not.
“Elders,” he greeted, kneeling with arms stretched forwards and forehead placed on the floor.
The room he had entered was large and dark, only lit by a few flames flickering in the air at the edges of the room. As always, the elders were seated in shadow towards the far end, cloaked not only in darkness but mystery.
“Essen,” the raspy voices of the elders spoke in unison.
“I bring news Elders, would I be allowed to speak it in your presence?” Essen asked.
One day, he would sit up there amongst them, looking down on his own inferiors kneeling before him. The journey towards that day began today, the real journey.
“Speak,” the elders commanded.
“I have spoken to and fooled the interloper Elders,” Essen informed them.
There was a silence, the flickering flames dimming as he felt an anger through the powerful auras the elders emitted.
“You did what?” they asked.
Essen cringed.
“I overheard her and Tristan, the leader of the guards, speaking in the hall they live in. Then she left so I disguised myself as Tristan and followed. I pretended that I wanted to know the real plans, insinuating that she was hiding them due to the danger of one of us hiding amongst his guards. She told me that there were no other plans, simply that she was to talk the people into not attacking. I could barely read the interloper but her companion looked extremely confused with my questions! That must be their true plan,” Essen explained, shaking a little bit.
However, he still did not lift his head, keeping his eyes fixed on the floor. He didn’t close them, knowing that the elders would see if he did.
Another silence ensued and Essen sat there nervously. He didn’t quite know how the elders communicated with each other, a mental communication skill perhaps. However they did it, the silence that was left in the wake of their soundless conversation was unnerving.
“Very well Essen. We shall attack as planned then,” the elders agreed.
Essen almost let out an audible sigh of relief but held back. Giving tell to his nervousness in front of the elders would not do.
“I am glad to hear it. If I may be so bold as to ask, would you allow me to ascend for the good work I have done?” Essen asked.
“We shall see, Essen, if your information is true. If this leads to a success for us, you shall be given that right. However, if you have doomed us, it will not be us that you answer to but the thousand eyed one who resides in the capital,” the elders said in unison.
Essen shivered, not able to contain the feeling of terror that overcame him at their words. It was a risk he took but one well worth it. The permission to ascend would put him above many of the other clan members, bringing him to the fourth stage. Even Yelza was not that high ranked.
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“Oh,” Zalia murmured, looking into Ember’s eyes.
Ember pulled her into a close hug, her arms wrapping around Zalia just as hers did around Ember.
“I'm glad you asked,” Ember said, the joy audible in her tone.
“So am I!” Zalia said, unable to contain the nervousness that escaped her body as laughter.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
Ember pulled back and took Zalia’s hands again.
“What do we do now?” she asked, a wide grin on her face.
“Exactly what we’ve been doing I guess,” Zalia said, losing herself in Ember’s joy.
It matched her own, their shared emotions bouncing back and forth across the bond, each enhancing the others.
“And what is that?” Ember asked slyly, her smile teasing.
“Making each other happy,” Zalia said matter-of-factly.
She could visibly see as Ember’s heart pumped just a little faster, the vibration visible to her eyes. It had been a little unnerving to see that kind of thing to begin with but she had quickly grown used to it. It felt as natural to her now as either her normal or heat vision did.
“Is that so,” Ember whispered.
“It is,” Zalia said, before leaning in and kissing her.
They spent the rest of the day together, almost locked to each other as they grew used to the new dynamic between them. It had been growing this way for a little while, as they both acknowledged, yet making it a verbally agreed matter changed things. It changed things even as… it was the same as before.
It was hard to explain, yet Zalia felt no differently about Ember, still had the same attraction and emotions yet with her feelings out in the open and Ember’s similarly verbalised, the nervousness and anxiety that she felt around Ember was gone. She was free to relax and enjoy the company of her friend… her partner, without worry.
Zalia knew that Boreal was aware of what had happened, because she was still there through their bond, both of their emotions and thoughts bare to each other. Boreal was being silently supportive and kept her distance, allowing both Zalia and Ember to explore this newfound comfort together. She even kept Aylie busy for Zalia, playing games and generally entertaining her. She was possibly the best wingcat that a woman could ask for.
Before long, nighttime came and they went to bed and while all three bedrooms were used, both Boreal and Aylie slept in separate ones while Zalia and Ember shared a bed, cuddled up and warm.
The night passed quickly, Zalia dozing in and out while Ember slept soundly. While she didn’t need to sleep for very long, Zalia still lay there holding Ember as she allowed her imagination to run free, thinking about the future and what she wanted to do when the invasion was finally over. She wanted to cleanse Endaria and take the fight to Cormaine, to take back the world that belonged to her friend Ro-ak.
But now, another path had come up before her, another door that led towards a different life. Ember would obviously come to Cormaine with her if she asked, she would do it not only for Zalia but for the people of Endaria. Removing the demons as a threat permanently would mean that the people in Endaria could live peacefully without fear of another invasion. Not only would it bring that peace but it would allow people to move on from these events easier.
The other path, however, was a life lived with Ember somewhere else. She had said she would come with Zalia if she chose to leave so what if after they helped free and stabilise Endaria, they went… somewhere else. Settled in to live a nice life with Aylie and Boreal somewhere. Perhaps they could help Aylie grow into her power in a safer environment. After all, Zalia didn’t want to take Aylie to Cormaine, not as a child. That would not only be incredibly irresponsible but unfair. Aylie deserved to have a childhood she could look back on fondly. A life filled with pain, fear and death left nothing to be proud of when one died. There had to be good times to balance out the bad.
It was those thoughts that Zalia had as they lay there that made her begin thinking of this other life, one spent in a comfortable peace. Revenge for her friend was all well and good, but surely it could wait until Aylie was older and most importantly, stronger. Maybe she could even help Zalia to take back Cormaine. Aylie as a Bronze or even Silver rank Druid would be an incredible force of nature to contend with. Not only did she have Healing Presence, a great boon in current day Cormaine, but she had some soul related abilities that might be incredibly helpful, depending on how they evolved.
Ember woke up in the morning, blinking blearily as her mind exited its unconscious state.
“Good morning sleepy,” Zalia murmured, pulling her in closer.
“You’re still here?” Ember asked in a whisper, holding onto the arm Zalia had tight around her front.
“Of course.”
She could tell Ember’s breathing began to slow again so she shook her lightly.
“Hey hey, you just slept basically forever.”
“Some of us need a lot of sleep.”
“Alright, a bit longer,” Zalia agreed.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Essen followed the others nervously. It was the morning after he had delivered the news to the elders and they had agreed to continue with the plans. The guards often gave out a morning breakfast to the people a few hours after sunrise and this time was the same. Essen knew from the plans he had overheard that it was taking place at the park, where the farmers were gathering to begin their work.
The elders had decided to wait until the farmers had started, then the majority of their clan in the city would congregate, spreading the news to the people of the city that there was food in the park for the taking. He was a part of a group led by Yelza, the job of leading given to him simply because of his dull minded loyalty. Essen respected that decision, he would make similar ones when he was in charge of the clan. It was much easier to trust an idiot with loyalty than an intelligent person who feigned it.
Still, despite his confidence in the plan, Essen couldn’t help feel a little nervous. A little… scared.
He had seen the way the interloper had treated his clanmate, the one she had captured and dragged into the guard hall like a trophy. He had seen what she had done to the probing attack one of the other clans had sent to keep the guards of Ostoss busy while his clan worked. She was strong, much too strong for one of her rank.
They entered the park and he saw the small wooden house from the day before. Near to it a little pavilion was set up with the guards giving food out to the farmers. Tristan was there, along with two others.
The interloper and her companion were sitting on a bench, holding on to each other like they feared losing the other should they let go. Essen altered his opinion of the woman.
Other groups were entering the park from different points along the city and soon there were four or five dozen of them walking towards the centre.
However, the interloper had noticed as well. He saw a bright flow emit from her and spiralling leaves turned into a storm as they rose into the sky. They created a huge glowing pattern that burned brightly and in the instant it finished, Essen felt a force hit him like a hammer. It was her aura, yet stronger and coming from everywhere. He felt his disguise fade and all around the park his clan stiffened or dropped to their knees as well, many of them losing their disguises. It was a trap.
Essen struggled to his feet, staring at the interloper as she too struggled to stand, the strain of the spell obviously having taken a lot out of her. The aura wasn’t fading though, its force a painful weight upon his shoulders. He saw a wild cat start tearing through some of his clan on the other side of the park and panic took him. He turned to ask Yelza what to do but a bright, glowing arrow took him straight through the head. Essen watched in fear as Yelza dropped to the ground, dead. Then, he turned and ran as fast as his heavy body would allow.