Elincia's Point of View

Helmsforth Temple

For the first time in a long time, I just sat in my room with my hand across my eyes. So many thoughts swirled around in my head. The severity of this situation. Arceana was compromised, and I likely was as well. Had Rudnurth been using us this entire time? We’d confronted Arthur several times before, and he let us go. He let us live. Every. Single. Time. There was a reason for that… But placing Lucia in danger was the breaking point.

There was a knock on my door, but I didn’t move as I replied. “Enter.” My door opened and closed just as quickly. “Please tell me you have something for me.” I had expected Kheri.

“Was I supposed to bring something?” Typhon asked me innocently.

My head shot up as my hand fell down. “Typhon!” Standing, I moved over to him. “I was not expecting to see you here. Did something happen to my sister?”

He shook his head. “No. She’s still in the medical ward, although she’s not very happy.”

“Oh. Well, make yourself comfortable. You know you are always welcome here.” I told him, and he seemed hesitant. “Is something wrong?”

Typhon seemed conflicted. The boy, who had grown so much over the last few months, was still a child. Despite having quite the growth spurt, he looked on the verge of tears. It was odd looking at him at times. He appeared to have aged several years since he started training with Arthur. Then again, his heritage was different than most others. Dragons were a secretive lot and mostly kept to themselves.

Putting an arm around his shoulder, I guided us to a couch where we sat down. “Tell me what troubles you.” I said softly.

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His shoulders seemed to slump. “I’m so confused.”

“About?” I asked just as gently. Although I already knew what this was about.

“About Arthur!” He answered, frustrated. His arms flew up in anger. “How could he do that?! Attacking Arceana! You! Us! I thought…” Typhon trailed off as he just sank into my side.

“You are a kind child, Typhon.” My words got him to glance up at me. “And you are, still very much, a child.” A tired sigh left my lips. “As much as it pains me to say it, Arthur had every right to act the way he did.”

Typhon looked alarmed at that. “He almost killed-“

Putting a finger on his lips, he stopped so I could continue. “Imagine if you came back and someone had been directly involved in the death of Arceana. What if someone had killed Ayda?” Typhon turned away from me. “What if someone killed me?” Pulling him into a hug, I rested my cheek on the top of his head. “Look at how you feel right now. Do you see how you are behaving? Now imagine how Arthur must feel. I knew Lucia was important to him, but I never knew how much.”

The boy was quiet for a time before he finally replied. “That doesn’t make me feel better. It just makes me more confused.”

A weak chuckle escaped my lips. “Trust me. I feel the same way. My sister was almost murdered in front of me, and I thought you might have been as well. It is not a feeling I want to repeat.” One of my hands went to my stomach tenderly. “Especially not when I consider the future.” Pulling away from him slightly, I ran one of my fingers through his hair softly, as I used to do when he was younger. “This world is always confusing, Typhon. It is because of that, that we cling to things that make sense. Family is one of those things.” I leaned down to look him in the eyes. “A friend, teacher, and hero are also things we cling to.”

“Then what do we do?” He asked. “It…” His voice seemed to catch as he looked away from me. “What will you do if he kills Arceana and you’re pregnant?” My eyes widened in surprise. At my look, he blushed. “You two weren’t exactly quiet.” Typhon told me softly in an embarrassed tone.

Covering my face with a hand to hide my own embarrassment and how horrified I was that he heard that, I replied in a forced voice. “We will cross that bridge when we come to it. As it stands, I do not believe Arthur will kill Arceana. After seeing his power in the East, it is clear he could have done so at any time.” Removing my hand, I continued. “Our only choice is to believe in Arthur and try to reason with him if needed.”

“I’m sorry I wasn’t much help. I tried to stop him, I really did.”

“Oh, child. You have grown so much that I hardly recognize you.” I told him and patted my lap. He laid on his back with his head on my lap as he looked up at me. “There is strength in you that I had not thought possible. Standing against that High Elf to protect me, and standing against Arthur to protect Arceana…” My hands started to play with his hair again as his eyes closed. “You have grown so much more than you know.” I told him as I used some magic to put him to sleep.

Typhon was clearly tired. Both physically and mentally. He was likely worried about what was to come. No doubt he had plans to stand against Arthur once more if needed. I don’t think he even realizes he was the only one able to stand under Arthur’s initial assault. His ‘gravity pillars’ as he calls them. Arthur needed to especially focus on Typhon, which made me wonder just how strong this boy had become physically.

A knock at the door pulled my eyes away from Typhon’s sleeping face as I spoke. “Enter.” This time it was Kheri and Floyd. “Do you have any news?” The two looked at each other, and I felt a pit start to form in my stomach.