It had been 20 years since the attack of the Fanarians, one of the many kinds of arrogant Breed that had spread throughout the lands, and their capture of my brother, Harlinus. 20 years may not have seemed like a lot to any Endr’ach, but 20 years without my brother, was certainly more than enough to instill a rage in me. My thoughts simmered and I felt La’druul (Endr’ach venom) roll down my chin as I thought of that hideous Fanarius scum who called herself Larak.
“Flareth!” The harsh words of Kareth cut through my thoughts, and I hastily rubbed my mouth with my right arm before my mother could blink. “Tah!” She spat, which basically was a sign of disgust or ridicule. In this case, it may have been both. “Flareth! Jingra! Haraa Jingra Shon…” ‘Flareth! Shame! Your brother shames you…’ It was by all means uncalled for, an incredibly heated comment. Flareth stared at her mother in shock for a moment, nearly failing to comprehend that her own mother had shamed her by her brother. That was a low blow by any means.
“Tah! Hara rejon kra, Kareth! Ju beron ard!” ‘Spit on you! Shame upon your name Kareth! I dispart you!’ (Dispart, rough translation of disown. In this case, she is departing her mother, and in that way, refusing to recognise the last two letters of her name, th.) I shouted in defiance. That was a bit far, but sitting 20 years on your brother's capture and probable death, you might find yourself angry too, especially when someone shames you through him, let alone your own mother. Though in all fairness, my mother had every right to be angry herself. It is a great shame to not be able to host the Haruk An Tak in honor of a lost life, but the ritual cannot be performed without the body. Ever since that day, she had been unable to truly mourn her brother's death… I had to leave. I had to do something, search for him perhaps.
Kareth looked appropriately shocked, staring in disbelief for a moment before turning on me in a blind rage. “ANDRENAKAI! Ag’mah JINGRA SHON! SHON BERON!” ‘OUTRAGEOUS! Ag’mah SHAMES YOU! YOU DISPART!’ (Basically her mother has shamed her by the Alpha, and suggested that she disparts her daughter instead.) I looked at her for a moment before raising my head and baring my fangs. “Nok Aratha.” ‘Not my mother.’ (Essentially telling her mother that she is too late to do so.) I watched as she stared at me in the eyes once more before turning away and scuttling down the side tunnel that led to her room.
I would no longer be recognised as family now, and I had little ties to this place, nor would I truly have a home in these islands anymore. It didn’t matter much, it never had. I had only grown more and more tired of sitting here, but my ties to my mother kept me here, as did my duties to the mother clan of Ikrah. Now they were no more, and I was free. The fact that my mother would weep for her final childs departure, the fact that I had disgraced my clan nagged at the corner of my mind, but I didn’t care enough to make worry of it. I was now free. Rahnar Lura Akra. ‘Free as Wind blows’ It had always been a famous saying of my people, but only now did I feel it was an appropriate time to use it.
Stepping off the edge of my Undra-tan ‘cave dwelling’ I fell from the island Endreth and tucked my wings beneath me, along with my legs, Baral as the wind took me. (Bara means fall, Baral means falling.) Before hitting the ground I spread my wings, and was greeted by a sight I had refused to look upon for a long time, the sunset. As I flew across the lands to the southern mountains of Raktai, my breath hitched, and a single tear fell. “Hara Nok Karnis.” ‘Brother worry not.’ I felt a rage and determination rise within me, one that had been itching to claw its way out for 20 years. Festered and held bitterly in my heart, as I had every right to. Perhaps to others, I might no longer seem chunak (of sound mind). It did not matter. “Ju Hinrah Hara. Ju Hinrah Shon.” ‘I’ll find you brother. I’ll find you.’
***
It was surreal in a way, to wake up to silence. I mean, it wasn’t complete silence of course, the birds were chirping, and there was a light breeze that could be heard faintly, but that was all. There were no shots, there were no drill instructors, there was no alarm, just a calm stillness that settled over my mind like a warm blanket. Unfortunately, I was not a fan of warm blankets.
Removing the duvet, the most comfortable I had ever had the pleasure of having, I stepped out of the bed and looked at the floor. I wonder for a moment if I should in fact commit to one of my old routines, a strict training regime I had. Don’t use it, lose it. So use it. With that thought running through my mind I chanted my old mantra quietly, pushing myself up and down, lifting myself with nothing but the muscles near my core, from planks to burpees to squats, every exercise I could think to do. If I was too exhausted in one part of my body to do one, I would do another. It was long past sunrise when I had truly run out of breath, and with a final huff I pulled myself up and made my way to the door.
I nearly fell over in front of said door when Sullivan finally decided to speak, “You intrigue me.” Wiping sweat off my brow I slowly opened the door and walked back into the living room. “And you me,” I said vaguely. The Fae had decided for whatever reason, that he would like to hold a conversation with me face to face this morning. He took his place leaning on the stone bench. “Why do you do that?” He asked. I raise a brow, “Do what?” I said, returning his question with my own. “Work so… vigorously. You yourself do not know for what reason you are here, or what you will do. Why train so hard for something you do not know will be? Also, most people would have figured that they can strengthen their bodies through magic by now, so I thought you would have at least tried that.” Sullivan explained, adding that it was strange after he had spoken, very lightly.
“First of all, it is a habit, and more importantly… There was something a friend said to me. It stuck with me. As for why I didn’t use magic…” I pondered for a moment on that. With all the possibilities of what magic could do, should I just imagine something happening, it would probably happen, especially with the mention of body enhancement I had considered using magic to strengthen myself. But… “It wouldn’t have been the same.” I finished offhandedly.
“You are right, it would not have required as much effort, but it would have been more painful and more effective. Magic is simply the best way to train yourself physically.” Sullivan said, as though he might change my mind. I still disagreed. “In my world we have a saying, no pain no gain. I can imagine how that way of training might work, and even be beneficial, but I know something you don’t.” I supplied, and my words worked, Sullivan was deeply engrossed in my words as I walked towards the door.
“What’s that?” He asked as I turned to face him from just outside the door. I looked at him for a moment, slowly considering whether or not to tell him, and playfully put my hand on my chin, as though I were seriously in deep contemplation. Finally I looked him in the eye and smiled, his eyes shone as I began, “I… won’t tell you,” I said, slamming the door in his face and stepping away. It was a shame I felt him enter my chest with that warm little flutter when I had gone five steps. Damn Fae.
“I won’t ask you to tell me, I’m sure I’ll see in time.” Sullivan said, his voice practically overflowing with eagerness. I shook my head, but didn’t stop my stride. I didn’t like that, I didn’t like the fact that Sullivan was with me, nor did I like the fact that he would be with me, possibly forever. Suddenly I felt a lot gladder that I had not decided to stay sixty or so years aging in a retirement home.
It wasn’t long until Sullivan noticed something was off about my journey. “You know, I could tell you where the council is,” Sullivan said. I stayed quiet, refusing to stop and refusing to acknowledge him. “You know you are heading to the forest right? It is dangerous there.” Sullivan said, slightly more urgently this time. I simply broke out into a jog. “Hey, why are you speeding up? Answer me!”
The jog probably wasn’t that long, but Sullivan’s complaining didn’t help much with tracking the time, nor did it make the jog any more enjoyable. Regardless, having clean air rush past me and brushing past such vibrant scenery was certainly still quite a calming experience. One I would not hesitate for a moment to enjoy again. I could perhaps get used to this… The thought lingered for a moment longer before I finally came upon the Fyne Forest.
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Sullivan stayed silent now, which was curious, he hadn’t spoken much while we had been in the forest before, and he most certainly did not now. I wonder. A thought I’d had more times than I could count in the past day or so, but it didn’t matter. I walked on, the trees once again encompassing the forest. It was brighter than it was yesterday as I came to the spot where I had fought the Wilde Dere. Had it been anyone else, finding such a place in this forest would have been difficult, and it was, but I had always been good at this kind of thing.
I felt the eyes settle on me again, the feeling of being watched, prickling the hairs across my neck, and a small shiver through my arms. Closing my eyes and leaning against the tree I had been thrown against the previous night I spoke aloud in no particular direction, “Show yourself.” Of course, this was risky. But I also knew that if they wanted me dead, it would likely have happened already. I was not prepared for what greeted me when I opened my eyes.
Red, and a sinister smile nearly had me jumping out of my skin. I had seen many crazed men, maniacs of battles, those who would adjust to killing by taking joy in it. Their smiles did not compare, not in broadness nor threat, to the one that was before me now. The girl had flaming red eyes, with an even darker set of red hair, and she was far too close for comfort. How she had gotten so close without my notice I did not know, and even as she stood before me I could not even feel her breath on my face.
“You’re the first to notice me, you know?” The girl said, her head cocking to the side slightly as though surprised, perhaps perplexed by my lack of reaction to her sudden closeness, though my foot had eased backwards just slightly in preparation for a clash. Her smile widened. “Don’t be so feisty, how did you know?” She said, hovering ever so slightly closer, and it took all of my will not to take a step back in response.
“I have honed my instincts for years.” I replied swiftly, not letting her hear anymore and staring defiantly at her, despite my body practically screaming at me to run. She laughed, and the feeling only became stronger as I felt my muscles tense, still sore from yesterday's bout, even if healed. “Then you would already be running,” she said, but contrary to her words she slowly backed up. “I like you,” the girl said, nodding once before stepping backwards once more.
“I will be watching.” She said, and I watched her lithe body vanish into thin air, the feeling on the back of my neck failing to fade, instead ever more powerful. At that moment I realized something. That girl… she made me scared. The thought was scary all on its own, and I had to struggle deeply to keep my breathing calm. That was no girl.
I was not afraid of death, I had become all too accustomed to it in my past life, hell I even welcomed it. But this was different.
Sullivan was quiet, and I was glad for it. I walked slowly back the way I came, and every time I heard a bush rustle, a branch crack, a bird cry, it was enough for my entire body to freeze up for just a moment, and then I remembered the girls laugh, and kept walking. I wasn’t sure how much of what I heard was real, or my mind playing tricks on me, the very forest seeming to creak and sway menacingly, as though the very world were against me.
I could fight a Wilde Dere, but I could not fight something I could not see. For a moment, I recalled something vaguely, but dismissed it just as quickly. Perhaps I could, but not with what I had now. Slowly as that realization took place, I felt my stride grew, becoming more steady. I had beaten the impossible before, I could do it again. I would need to prepare, perhaps become… stronger, and then I would be able to do it again.
That thought was nice, a goal, a task to focus on. Something to keep me going. The forest was still beautiful as I left, and the sky still baby blue as I walked beneath it once more. I swept my gaze across the lands, truly taking in the sight, the mountains and the floating islands, the rocks that were caught in the air, as though swept in a breeze and frozen in time, and of course the many other fields and trees and minor landmarks that littered the scape’. It was nice.
It was nice…
“Sullivan, where is the council?” I asked, calling to the Fae for the first time since yesterday. I could tell that despite very much wanting to mentor me, the Fae had been occupied with his thoughts, perhaps as much as I had. I felt a pang of sympathy before squashing it down.
“The council? The council is north of here, in the direction of the floating islands of Ikrah.” Sullivan said slowly, before quickly going silent again. He was really shaken, though I could not be sure if it was because of the girl with red eyes, or Elivia. Perhaps it would be best not to know, because if it was the former then I would have yet more reason to be scared.
Sweeping my gaze towards the gravity defying islands of ‘Ikrah’ I took a step forward. And another. Faster this time. Faster still. Every foot fall felt freeing, and slowly a feeling that had been hanging over me since I had escaped that Emperor Beast, that had been threatening to take over my cold hard shell, finally broke through. It was freedom. Freedom… I had dreamed of making enough money to escape the mercenary guild, to finally break free of the war that held me in its grasp. Yet now that I had died, it had happened, the one thing I refused to do for them finally broke me free. It was ironic really.
Shaking off the thoughts that shrouded me, and letting just a small smile spread over my lips as the events of the past two days are left behind me, I look around at the scenery. Not much has changed in my short jog, a hill to my left, more Fyne Forrest to my left, and the odd tree scattered around me as I continue toward my destination. Intrigued by the world around me I cannot help but raise a brow at all the strange fauna also.
A three eyed bird coated with luxurious red and orange feathers pecks its tree before flying away and, a small otter-like creature with black skin, big eyes, three claws and a fanged mouth chases a small almost rabbit-like creature. The little hopper isn’t fast enough, but then to my surprise it turns around and kicks down with its leg, timed just well enough to catch the Otter creature by surprise, but not kill it. I almost stay to watch in interest, but instead keep myself focused and carry on.
“How do the elves live?” I ask Sullivan as the trees become sparser, the grass beginning to grow shorter and thicker as we move further and further forward. It really was a surreal sight, blue sun and darkened grass, a sight to behold by any person. Yet, despite it all, I was just glad for the change of scenery. Certainly a breath of fresh air was far better in comparison to the thick smoked air of trenches or factories.
“I could tell you much about how the elves live, or where they live, but you should ask me something more specific, or I fear I may talk for hours.” Sullivan said, actually showing some self awareness, which surprised me. I had thought the Fae to be aloof, very easy to talk to about things he was knowledgeable of, in fact too much so. It seemed he had been more aware than I thought.
I was about to ask when a black creature that looked very, very much like a dragon flew over me to the west. I marveled at the sight, and its lack of scales as I continued walking. Instead of asking about Elves I decided it would probably be best to learn whatever that was, just in case. I watched it as it continued its flight, and marveled at both the stark differences and close similarities between it and the dragons of earthen tales. “What was that?” I asked Sullivan.
“An Endr’ach… They never fly west. Unless something has happened with the Fanarius… But that was over twenty years ago! Why would they fly there now?” Sullivan explained vaguely, but I decided to ask him to elaborate. “Of course, the Endr’ach are one of the oldest races on Etelopia, not to go into detail, but they hate dragons.” Sullivan said.
“They hate dragons?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. “We don’t actually have real dragons on Etelopia, but despite that we have many of what are known as Breed throughout the land, those who hold resemblance to Dragons. It is strange that we have those of dragon descent, despite not having dragons themselves. Regardless, over twenty years ago a war was waged between the Endr’ach and the Fanarius, the Breed recognised as dragon fox.”
“Dragon Fox?” I said, dumbfounded by the concept. I also hated asking so many questions, it seemed to be all I was doing these days. “They resemble foxes in fur and face, but they are scaled as dragons are, and bear all other features of form. Except their tail, I suppose.” Doing my best to log Sullivan’s brief rundown I continued my pace towards the village that I had sighted ahead of us, and made my way onto the trodden dirt path. I would not rest until I had a place to stay, at least for tonight.
I caught an ear of something Sullivan whispered as we walked along, but chose not to speak of it.
“One Endr’ach stands alone,
Separate in plight from blood and bone.
Left to fend upon its own,
Let it not fall, but find its own.
With a final cry, let its voice be known,
One forever held and never sown.”