After a long day of riding with few breaks, Luna’s legs felt like a slab of meat tenderized by a heavy-handed butcher. She wished they could ride straight through to Cloudreach, but she knew that due to the distance it was impossible. And so, just after sundown, they made camp for the night in the rocky hills just outside of Nisse.

Countless campfires illuminated the tall grass and hexagonal pillars of granite reached up from the dirt like the fingers of a buried stone giant. Elves sat huddled around the many fires in groups, sharing rations and rich conversation. Leave it to the elves to find a way to remain in good spirits even in the face of a bloody war.

With a sigh, Luna laid out her bedroll and plopped down on it stiffly. Before grabbing a piece of dried salmon from her pack, she warmed her hands and feet over a small fire.

Feelings of loneliness and jealousy trickled into her head as she watched the elves sing and dance. As she sat alone on the outskirts of the camp, Luna rubbed her heavy eyelids. I guess I can’t blame them, most of these elves have probably never been around humans. To them I’m just another potential threat to their way of life. I should just be thankful Tyriel decided to mobilize his army in the first place. Luna leaned back, shrugged and massaged her sore legs.

She tried to mind her own business and unwind but her eyes couldn’t help being drawn to Tyriel. He sat next to a large bonfire atop a hill alongside Myraea and a handful of other elves. They played instruments, sang songs, and laughed together. The camaraderie had Luna desperately missing her brother and gang. I hope they’re all safe. They’re smart, I have to believe that they found a way to stay out of harm’s way. I guess that’s the best I can do for now.

Behind her the frozen tall grass crunched and Luna shot a glance over her shoulder. An elf with a tattoo of a lotus on her cheek stepped into the light of the fire. Deep shadows flickered across her face. Looking down at Luna, she ran her fingers nervously over the backside of her arm, then offered a shy wave. “Would it be okay if I sit with you? You looked so very lonely over here. My name’s Caerwyn by the way.”

“That’s very kind of you, Caerwyn. Of course you may, please have a seat.” Luna replied.

“I brought some mead to share with you. My sister makes it. In my opinion it’s the best in all Nylaena Malthir. Probably the best in all of Nisse. Most of my kin prefer wine but I find the stuff so bitter.”

“You’re very kind to share. I’d love to try some. Though I must say I personally find the bitterness of wine quite nice. The world is a bitter place and I find that wine compliments it well.”

Caerwyn pulled out a bottle, popped out a cork and poured some of the honey hued liquid into each of their cups. Luna nodded her thanks and stared up at the pale moon. Overhead the stars glittered like gemstones in the night sky. “Where I’m from, I rarely get to see the stars in such beautiful form.” Said Luna.

Tilting her head slightly, Caerwyn brought her hand to her slender chin. “That’s a shame. My people say that each shining star is one of our ancestors smiling down on us. I love sleeping out under the night sky.”

“That’s a wonderful sentiment. Do you think it could really be true?”

“Sure, why not? I’m good with a blade, but I’m no scholar. Yet if an idea brings us comfort and peace of mind, I suppose it doesn’t really matter if it’s true.”

Luna hummed a soft sound of consideration. “Maybe my father is looking down at me right now. I wonder if he’d be proud of me or disappointed in me for the choices I’ve made.”

“Ouch! Don’t be so hard on yourself, young one. One thing you learn as an elf, is that everyone makes mistakes—especially when you could theoretically live forever! You can’t let those mistakes define you.”

“You know, I’m very glad that you came to sit with me.” Luna took a sip of the mead and grinned at Ethellia with her eyes. “Wow! This mead is incredible. It tastes like honey and Traeian roses, my body feels so incredibly warm all of a sudden.”

Ethellia played with her long braid, grinning. “Really? I’m so glad to hear you like it! To the best of my knowledge, you’re the only human that’s ever tasted it. I can’t wait to tell my sister when we return from vanquishing the Bohlkovians…well, if we return that is.”

“Don’t say that! You are going to make it home safely.”

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“Yeah, you’re probably right.” Ethellia’s lips curled downwards and she stared into the flames. “It’s just…I’ve never fought in a siege before. In the past we always fought Bohlkov with hit and run tactics. Ambushing them and then disappearing back into the safety of our woods. I’m embarrassed to say, but I’m a bit nervous to fight head on against them.”

“No need to feel embarrassed. Feeling that way is huma…well…normal.” Luna laughed. “Everyone feels nerves before going into battle, anyone who says they don’t is a liar. You’re going to do great. I know the city like the back of my hand. I’ll make sure you return safely to your sister.”

“That makes me feel much better, I’m relieved that we have you to help us navigate the city.”

“Ethellia, can I ask you something about Tyriel?”

One of Ethellia’s perfectly shaped blonde eyebrows raised. “I don’t see any reason why that would be an issue.”

“Okay, if this is taboo to speak of we can pretend I never asked.” Luna said, shifting nervously. “The other night I accidentally saw something that I don’t think I was supposed to see…”

“Interesting. What exactly did you witness?”

“Well, when I was staying in the palace I heard shouting so I followed the voices. I know I shouldn’t have, but I just couldn’t help it. I saw guards bring a very sickly elf to Tyriel’s study. They said that Tyriel needed to act or the elf would be past saving. He begged them not to make him intervene.”

“What did Tyriel do?”

“He pulled out some sort of amulet. That’s when things became very strange. Tyriel began…levitating off the ground and the amulet lit up like a torch. The light flowed into the sick elf. It all happened so quickly, I’m just not sure exactly what I saw, it felt like a bad dream. Next thing I knew the frail elf was lying dead on the floor and Tyriel was laying on top of the body.”

The color drained from Ethellia’s heart shaped face. “Oh dear…I’m sorry you had to see that.”

“Have you ever seen anything like what I’m describing?”

“Unfortunately, I have. Let me tell you a story to help you understand what you saw.” Ethellia’s posture shifted and she shook her head solemnly. “Long ago, at the dawn of mankind existed a cruel people who practiced nightmarish and forbidden rituals. These tribes known as the Hecate became infamous across the lands for partaking in human sacrifice, blood magic, and cannibalism. My ancestors allied with the early men and together they drove them into the sea. It wouldn’t be until many centuries later that we learned they hadn’t all been destroyed.”

Luna gasped. “That sounds awful. But what does it have to do with what I saw?”

“Remnants of these tribes still exist today. Most of them live solitary lives far from civilization, but some live hidden amongst us. The tainted blood in their veins gives them dark powers that can manifest in many different ways. What you saw, I believe, was an elf cursed by one of these descendants.”

“‘I’ve encountered one of these descendants before.” Luna said, shuddering as she remembered the encounter in the tunnels. “The old witch put a curse on someone I was traveling wit…err…a friend.”

“I’m sorry to hear about your encounter, you’re lucky to have made it out alive. These wicked beings are a plague on our world. Tyriel lives a life of opulence as our king, but he also carries a terrible burden.”

“The amulet?” Luna asked.

“Indeed.” Ethellia nodded, her eyes displayed the sadness in her words. “The amulet is an artifact passed down since the early days of my people. It gives the wielder the power to dissolve the dark magic of the Hecate, but it comes with a heavy cost.”

“What is the cost?”

“The amulet doesn’t always succeed at purging one’s soul of the dark magic. Each time it fails, the amulet traps the soul of the afflicted within itself. The one who carries the amulet feels the weight of every last tortured soul trapped within. They whisper to the bearer and torment them until one day they lose their mind and someone new must accept the responsibility.”

Luna closed her eyes and tried to imagine what that burden must be like. Trembling, she shook her head. “Poor Tyriel. I had no idea the weight he carried on his shoulders. How does he find the strength to be so kind and compassionate, with such a dark cloud over his head?”

Ethellia looked up to the hill bathed in moonlight where Tyriel joked and danced with Myraea. “He is the very best of us. If he were to stumble, I don’t know who could lead us with such strength and heart.”

Tapping her finger on her cup of mead, Luna clicked her tongue. “You said there were others hiding amongst us?”

“Our eternal enemy. The patriarch of the Bohlkovians, Venyov. His families bloodline goes all the way back to the original Hecate tribes.”

“That’s why he’s so obsessed with wiping your people out?”

“It is. With the elves gone, no one will be able to wield the amulet.”

The two sat in silence for a while. The conversation had shifted into a heaviness that Luna needed to think deeply about. Eventually Ethellia broke the silence by popping the cork from her bottle of mead. “I think we could both use a refill…” They looked at each other straight faced before breaking into laughter at the extreme understatement.