Chapter 27
After the storm
Upper Water Month, 24th day, 05.00
"I feel like throwing up!"
Agravaine brought a hand to her mouth. The pungent smell of a corpse danced on the tip of her nose, an unbearable disgust growing like a lovingly tended plant.
"What happened here?" She asked Logem, aware that he too was groping in the dark as she was.
It was not merely a desire to gratify her curiosity, but a way to try to rationalize the hideous spectacle that stood in her sight.
Their scouts had reported serious turmoil sweeping through the forest, but neither of them -or at least, not her- expected to be confronted with a display that looked like a vivid representation of a gruesome nightmare.
Evasha's Forest was also known as the Sea of Trees, each small plant coming together to create an endless ocean of green.
But now the drops that gave their title to their home had changed, the green of nature had been replaced by a dull red, unified with the land as if it had been part of it from the origin.
"I don't know," unlike Agravaine, Logem did not seem particularly troubled by having to make his way from that road paved with lifeless bodies. On the contrary, his gait concealed an excitement that overflowed like a raging river. "But I can't wait to find out."
"...Aren't you disgusted by all this?" With any ordinary person, the question would have come across as so trivial as to border on the ridiculous.
"...No." But Logem was no ordinary person. "It's just war. You should be used to it by now."
If being normal meant being able to be unshaken by that sight, Agravaine thanked the gods that she was endowed with a mindset that strayed from the ordinary.
"Don't all these bodies pity you?" Trying not to pay attention to all those dead bodies she heard calling to her was difficult. So difficult that she fondled the idea of going back to safety.
"No."
A response as cold as a winter night.
"Do you not feel your heart weep for them?"
"No."
"If you could change their fate, would you do it?"
"...Yes, I would." That hesitation, was it a sign of truth or a lie his brother had imposed on himself? "But only if it didn't get in the way of my goals."
Agravaine decided not to continue with her questions. Ever since they had decided to work together, Logem's motives had been as clear as the morning sky.
She had always seen their relationship as a perfect balance of heart and logic for the fulfillment of their purpose.
Only, up to that point, she had always taken their roles for granted.
The woman, lost in silly sentimentalisms. The man, who repressed feelings to seize victory.
But perhaps what she considered logic devoid of compassion was just a mask of soul-consuming overwhelming passion.
"This is it," Logem distracted her from her thoughts, leading her to a part of the clearing where the geoformation of the ground had been inconceivably altered.
As if the passage of centuries had been concentrated in that place for a few moments, then released the fruit of its pain in quick moments defying the laws of creation.
Trees that until a few moments before defied the sky with their branches were now sprawled on the ground like the most common of weeds. The stems of their trunks were colored in hues that brought to mind the idea of chaos, an atrocious madness that had made disfigured limbs and regret-filled screams a child's game.
"It's him," Logem's voice betrayed an emotion that Agravaine thought was completely foreign to her brother. Joy mixed with newfound hope. A seed that had sprouted in a span of time beyond all common reason, but was now there, as full of life as any other living creature. "He really exists."
But to whom was he referring?
A few meters away from them stood with regal splendor an ancestral creature, whose features were so recognizable that as soon as he brought them into focus, Agravaine could not help but let out a cry of surprise.
"But that's..."
"Yes," Logem was now sporting a toothy smile, brimming with satisfaction. "But look closer."
Dragons were legendary figures, capable of blotting out the sun itself with their mightiness and adumbrating the brightest light with the unfolding of their wings.
It was the first time Agravaine had seen one, and it was the first time she realized that perhaps the stories were not as exaggerated as one might have believed.
Yet ... now that the light of dawn better defined the contours of the scene and night retreated to its hiding place, a new astonishment replaced the previous one.
"That dragon is on its knees."
A ridiculous statement, inconceivable in its folly, but one that was matched by reality. The titan was bent over himself with his head turned toward a new figure.
"That's right," her brother replied as he began to approach. A careless attitude, totally different from what he had accustomed her to in the years. "Let's go."
The figure was beginning to take shape. Outfitted in armor whose white attracted the sun's rays, reflecting its glare with a seraphic light, he wielded a pitch-black scythe whose material was unlike any the woman had ever seen before. Adamantium? Or something even superior?
Around the stranger, bodies that were distorted, barely recognizable, adorned the landscape with their disgusting presence.
It was as if a scholar had desecrated each of those individual lives in search of an ancestral secret about existence, heedless of how deeply his scalpel cut and without any respect for the sacredness of existence.
Anger was the only emotion Agravaine could feel at that moment.
The elf had thought she had begun to get used to the smell of death, but now that stench had reached a new connotation, one that made just being there an unbearable torture.
"[Forest's gift] [Nature's blessing]."
The buffs she had cast brought a modicum of relief, but they were of little help. Barely enough palliative to replace medicine.
The dragon took notice of them. The fangs of his mouth, sharp as blades, seemed to be on the verge of opening at any moment so that he could swallow them with a single movement of his mouth.
But Logem did not hesitate. And she did likewise. Having reached that point, no alternative was left.
"Who are you?"
The warrior's voice was atonal, inquiring like an impartial judge.
'A woman?' Indeed, although he could be wrong, that voice sounded feminine. Logem must have noticed it too, but it didn't seem to have changed his plans.
"Maybe we should go back."
Knowing when to retreat was an essential quality to have in order to survive.
If their interlocutor had been the architect of that disaster, then neither of them had even the slightest hope.
"You are real. Not a dream."
But if Agravaine had to stake her life, she would have bet that her brother was not of that opinion.
"Are you seeking revenge for your comrades?"
"No."
A pang in the heart struck Agravaine. This time there had not been the slightest trace of doubt in Logem's answer.
"Are you also here to ask the new savior for help?"
The dragon's voice was deep and understanding. There was no trace of any hostility in it.
"Help?" Logem replied, his gaze fixed on the one who had given life to his dreams. "Yes, that is what I seek. You are the one I have been waiting for. After all these years ... revenge."
Her brother held out his hand, waiting for an answer.
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Antilene was trying to rationalize the situation.
First, an emerald green dragon had knelt at her feet, proclaiming her a new deity-what blasphemy-.
Now, a couple of elves had come out of who-knows-where, proclaiming they were seeking her help.
The woman looked sickly; was this the first time she had seen a battlefield?
Antilene had noticed a slight glint that had enveloped her body. If she had been able to empower herself, it meant she had at least some knowledge of magic.
The man had a deep scar furrowing his face, and since he had seen her, he had begun to sport a maniacal smile, which had made the half-elf slightly uncomfortable.
Yet he did not want to fight; on the contrary.
He had held out his hand to her; was this a trap?
"Who are you?"
She could have killed all those nuisances on the spot, and then headed for her companions who were waiting for her hidden in the forest. Or maybe they had caught up with them? Having tracking skills would have been providential at that moment.
"A friend."
Of course, a friend. It was only natural that after bathing Evasha's land with the blood of elves another long-eared would spring up ready to offer his friendship.
The only strange thing was that it hadn't happened sooner, right?
"Why should I believe you?"
"Because we have the same goal."
"How do you know what my goal is?" Did he know she was an agent of the Theocracy? Or had he gotten a completely wrong idea about her? Curiosity was beginning to set in.
"I can imagine that. Because I know who you are."
"You know nothing about me."
Charon's Guidance was about to be unsheathed. The weapon began to be pointed at the two strangers.
"I know you are the king's daughter."
She stopped.
Now he had her attention.
Antilene pondered what was the most prudent course of action. Could she trust those elves or should she end the matter at that very moment?
"How do you know?"
She decided to proceed with the first option.
"Information I have gathered over the years. It's long overdue. That we have been waiting for you."
She knew that her existence was a secret in the Theocracy, but was it the same for the Elf kingdom? Ignorance was a treacherous enemy to counter.
"So, you also want to kill my father?"
"Our father."
Now it was all beginning to make sense. If that mysterious elf was also one of the king's sons, it was not unreasonable to think that he also sought revenge.
"How do you think you can help me? Do you think you are on my level?"
Although she was fatigued after a full night of fighting, Antilene did not doubt that she could be able to eliminate that elf and his companion with a simple wave of her hand. It was not arrogance, but the simple truth.
"Come with me and you will find out."
'All that was missing was for him to remain vague. What to do? In all likelihood, it is a trap. But if not...'
"Can we trust her?" The woman had finally begun to speak. Like Antilene, she sported irises of different colors that shone with a warm light. That she had been another daughter of the king? "Look what she did. It will be years before the forest can absorb all these bodies."
Antilene observed the damage to which she had given rise. For a moment, which burned as quickly as the life of an ephemeral, the regret of having become a grim reaper began to leap to her heart.
Nonetheless, that was an estimation beyond exaggeration. Within a few weeks at most, nature would resume its cycle, returning to its previous state.
"It's war," was her response to that not too veiled accusation. "It was me or them. They made their choice. And so, I made mine."
"Their choice?" The woman -her sister? - struggled to maintain her gaze. Unlike the man, the trembling body could not hold back the terror she felt. "How can you call tyranny a choice?"
"The weak deserve what happens to them."
"So, our mothers also deserved what happened to them?"
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The emerald dragon had pulled out his claws, and seemed on the verge of seeking satisfaction for what he felt was an affront to his new mistress.
Antilene was about to raise her arm, to nip any possible conflict before the battle started.
"That's enough!" But it was the elf with the scar who spoke first. With a gesture of his arm, he pulled the woman back behind him. "Let's start again from the beginning. My name is Logem and I need your help."
"My name doesn't matter," trusting is good, but not trusting is better. "But for the time being you can call me Zesshi."
"Lady Zesshi, it is an honor to make your acquaintance." Although she could not be sure, Antilene reputed that answer as sincere. There truly was a first time for everything.
"I can't say as much," lying was not her style. She ignored the glare the woman gave her. "But I will overlook it for the time being. You, on the other hand, what is your name?" She asked, facing the dragon.
Only now did she realize that she still did not know why he had decided to put himself at her beck and call.
The unusualness of the situation had left Antilene lurching for a moment. Finally, she was beginning to start thinking straight again.
"Ashuak Frahr Ssissth," a high-sounding name, for sure. "I am also known as the judge of the forest and guardian of these sacred places."
"I see," would she ever be able to pronounce that name correctly? The draconic language always jammed her tongue. "And why did you decide to put yourself at my service?"
"I, too, wish for the death of the elf king," the dragon's eyes glowed with fiery ardor. "He dared to threaten something that is very important to me. But, unfortunately, my powers pale before his."
Not that it was a surprise, but her father had countless enemies. Many enemies, much honor, used to say a fool.
The King was not lacking in the latter, but as for the former?
"And you think I can beat him?"
"If not you, no one."
Encouraging.
"I am sure Lady Zesshi is capable of carrying out the ordeal," the conviction -almost on the verge of fanaticism- of that Logem was beginning to make her uncomfortable. "Especially if she gets help from us."
"How do you think you can help me?" At this point, the half-elf could not help but admit she was intrigued. At worst, she would add two more corpses to her tally. Two was such a small number, after all.
"Come with me, and I'll show you."
"Okay," the decision had now been made. "But we'll wait for my comrades first. They should be here shortly; only after talking with them will you have a definite answer."
"Perfect," a familiar smile -where had she seen it before?- surfaced on the elf's face. "My friend and I will gladly wait."
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"We cannot trust her."
Agravaine observed Zesshi, who had retreated a few meters from them, accompanied by that dragon, with the utmost attention.
Now that she had shed her helmet and shown her face, it was evident that the girl was one of their bloodlines. If the color of her eyes, black and white like their father, would not have been enough to convince them, the pallor of her skin was without a shadow of a doubt the same as that which distinguished the ruler of the elves.
"No, we can't." Did Logem agree with her? A miracle? "But it doesn't matter. Trust is about establishing an equal relationship. In our case, the difference in strength is so obvious that something more than mere subordination could never be possible.
"And so, you plan to put yourself at her service? Like a little soldier ant?"
"Yes."
That man was not her brother. Or perhaps the image of him she had cultivated over those years was just an illusion that was now being replaced by reality.
"Why?"
"Because after all these years of struggle, for the first time, I feel I can taste victory. This fire that has been consuming me since I was a child may finally subside at last."
Not that she couldn't understand that. Even Agravaine was now beginning to feel the weight of fatigue after decades of mounting a desperate resistance.
Their dream was a utopia. Even if they could take one step, their goal was two steps away. So why continue?
There was a time when Agravaine would have said, "It is better to walk than to stand still."
And she really believed that. But the walk was starting to get heavy and strength was beginning to fail.
"All because of this faint hope, isn't it?"
Hope. The most treacherous of friends.
"That's all I have left. I'm not asking you to follow me to hell."
"Do you remember when we first met?"
It had been a long time ago. She was just a child at the time.
"No, I can't say I remember."
It didn't matter. The story of how they had met was the same as countless others.
"You don't even remember what you said to me that day?"
But there was something that could not be overlooked. A phrase, small comfort that had been brought to someone who had lost the sparkle of life.
"If you can't find a reason to live, live for me."
"Yes, that's right." So he had not forgotten. How could he have? A sense of guilt, for doubting. "Even that day there were rows of corpses around us. Humans, though, not elves."
"I have no regrets for what I did," the scar towered like a battle trophy. Impassive, Logem did not accuse the passage of time, like a monolith last relic of a ghost town. "Nor for what I will do."
"I know," they were both aware that wasn't true. But what was the point of continuing that ungainly dance? "You sold your soul to a demon in the past. Are you ready to do it again now?"
"That demon betrayed me," Agravaine did not know exactly the whole story. But she knew it was about broken trust and a lost friend. Little bits of knowledge, carefully gathered over the years. "And not just me. Everyone else, too. But this time it won't happen again. I have no problem giving up my soul. As long as everything comes to an end."
"Have you ever thought about what will happen next? If we succeed, I mean." Aspirations and dreams mingled with a false sense of hope. The future seemed a chimera impossible to tame, and the past a prison impossible to escape.
"Everyone will have to pay the price for their sins," but who was it who determined the fair price for their actions? "I am no exception."
"So, I ask you, once again, are you ready to follow me to the end?"
Agravaine looked at her brother. He returned her stare.
"If you sell your soul to a demon," one more compromise, to the face of doomsday. "Then I sell my soul to you. Together until the end, as we promised that day."
Logem said nothing, but pointed with his fingertip toward Zesshi and a group of humans who had just arrived.
"'Let's go, the time has come."
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"Is that a dragon?"
One did not need to be a genius at reading others' emotions to understand that Divine Chain was amazed. Even someone as clueless as Antilene had no trouble understanding the Black Scripture member's amazement.
"Yes," was the half-elf's reply. So natural as to be banal. "It is indeed a dragon."
The emerald dragon -remembering his name at the moment was not a priority- watched the other Black Scripture members in silence, apparently overthinking.
"Are they friends of yours, Lady Zesshi?" He asked, with a hint of curiosity.
Friends, could she call them such? "They are my companions," better not to use such specific definitions, remaining vague. "They are here to help me with my mission."
"I see there was no shortage of fun here," commented Time Turbolence, looking around the surroundings. Unlike the elf from earlier, the Black Scripture, though surely impressed and in their hearts afraid, did not show the distrust of her that Antilene would have expected. "To be honest I think all this red doesn't go with the landscape."
Was that a joke?
"Did you notice if anyone was watching us?" Being separated served not only to showcase the half-elf's skills but also to draw out possible ambushes.
"No," One-Thousand Mile Astrologer adjusted the lenses of her glasses, barely concealing agitation. "Not that... not that anyone would have the courage to intervene in that... battle. Yes, only a madman could have decided to get in the way of your display of force, Lady Zesshi."
Had Cassandra seen it all? Perfect, it would have saved giving a few too many explanations.
Either way, it had been disappointing. The only thing she had gained from that adventure was an overgrown lizard who was no less frightened of her father than were the other inhabitants of the forest.
"...Why-why are those elves watching us?" Infinite Magic was as shy as ever, almost annoying, but hers was a legitimate question.
Antilene pondered what was the best method to explain the matter clearly.
She opted for a direct confrontation.
"They are children of the king," and so far, nothing surprising. How many of the ruler's bastards were scattered at the four cardinal points? To count them in one lifetime would have been asking too much even for long-lived races like elves. "They say they are here to help us. They want me to follow them."
"If it's a trap, it's not the most cunning," Myriad Barriers thought aloud. "Then again, following them so blindly might prove imprudent."
"That there are elves planning the death of their ruler is not so unbelievable," Divine Chant handed a wet cloth to Antilene to wipe off dirt and sweat. Only now did the half-elf realize how much she longed for a warm bath. "I don't think we have much to lose by following them. At worst, we would just have to face another battle. But I'll let Lady Zesshi decide."
"I want to go," an opportunity like that would never happen again. It was a mathematical certainty. "If you don't want to go with me, I'll send you a message when it's all over."
"And leave our secret weapon alone!?" Divine Chain could not hold back an expression filled with astonishment. Or maybe he was just incredibly good at acting. "In this place where every minute you can be attacked by some hellish beast just waiting to devour us to the last bone? No, thank you. I'd much rather stay by the side of a warrior who can make dragons kneel and give new meaning to the expression 'ass-kicking.'"
"Um... thank you?" Was that flattery? Surely the strangest she had ever heard in her life. Not that there were that many, come to think of it. "As for the rest of you?"
"As far as I'm concerned, you're the leader for this mission," Time Turbolence said, unceremoniously. "Wherever you decide to go, I will follow."
"The same goes for me."
"...Y-yes. I think the same."
"The opinion of the descendant of the Six Gods is the only one that matters right now."
"I foresee that this is the only thing to do."
An agreement had been reached. Easy.
"I will go wherever you go, Lady Zesshi."
The emerald dragon had voiced his opinion. Had he felt left out? No, the thought mechanisms of dragons were outside the ordinary reasoning of other species. Evidently, there was a hidden meaning in those words that Antilene could not grasp.
A secret plan in which the various stages unfolded into complex mechanisms, whose gears spun in a manner completely alien to ordinary logic.
An abyss of double meanings that required a superior mind and a trained intellect to be able to untangle that labyrinth with an exit hidden from ordinary mortals.
Although Antilene was certain she could beat him in physical strength, could she say the same about cunning?
"I'm sorry if I intruded, but I wanted to make my point."
Or maybe he was just stupid.
"I still haven't decided what to do with you," Antilene confessed, uncomfortable at being treated with such devotion by what was a legendary creature. "I mean, the only thing you've tried to do so far is to try to meddle with my thoughts."
"It was a test to find out your character."
Perhaps. But certainly not a pleasant experience. The image of Faine still appeared with sharpness in her mind, as if the dead woman was still there.
But the anger Antilene felt could be silenced, if it would bring in return a valuable ally for her revenge mission.
"Never mind," the half-elf wrinkled her nose as she gestured a motion of indifference with her free hand. "It looks like our friends are on their way here."
Logem and his companion approached the Black Scriptures, staying a few steps away. Did they think they were going to attack them? Not that that short distance could have saved them.
"Have you made a decision, Lady Zesshi?" The scarred man asked, placing his hands prominently. If it was a way to show his pure intentions, it was not the most convincing.
"Yes," in any case, it would not be the suspicious attitude that would cause a change in her decision. "We are ready to follow you."
"Perfect," without even wasting a second, the elf began to set out. "Come, there is a long way to go."
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A nerve-wracking silence.
Agravaine kept looking straight ahead, trying to ignore her unusual companions.
The group had been making their way through the vegetation for more than five hours now. Accustomed as she was to living in the forest, insects, plants, and heat were part of her daily routine.
But if they were no problem for her, she would have expected that the same rules would not apply to those humans.
But reluctantly, she had to accept that none of them voiced the slightest complaint.
It was not only Zesshi who was out of the ordinary. Those other humans reeked of blood like the fiercest beasts in the forest and emitted an overwhelming pressure that took one's breath away.
If troubles never came alone, their equipment was far superior to any the elf had ever seen in her life. Only Logem could boast magical items of the same workmanship.
"These are most likely the Black Scriptures," her brother had explained to her. "Each one of them should equal one of my old companions."
If the Theocracy had such outstanding individuals at its disposal, if it had a secret weapon that could end the war, why wait until then?
'Just to prolong our misery?'
Were the lives of elves of such little value to the Slaine Theocracy?
"We are lucky," a man with funny tattoos covering his face and a long chain coiled on his arm addressed her. That he was trying to break the ice? "We usually encounter monsters of all sorts, but everything has been running smoothly since we set out."
"Logem and I grew up in this place. We know the best ways to be able to avoid bad encounters. Besides," why was she responding? Surely the man had brought countless of her brothers and sisters back to mother earth. "Other beasts tend to sniff out danger. With a dragon to escort, it is not surprising that they prefer to avoid us."
The man from Theocracy blushed conspicuously, probably from realizing the stupid question he had asked. "Yes, I guess that makes sense."
"You're still the usual idiot, Divine Chain," a girl wearing a pretty bow on her head shot back at him. "Don't you think you're inconveniencing that elf too much?"
"Hey, I was just trying to make conversation! Not everyone is as obnoxious as you, Astrologer!" Another nickname. Apparently, the lack of trust was mutual. "I didn't bother you, did I?" He questioned her.
"No," she lied. Just being in contact with those murderers disgusted her. "Although I didn't think that being in contact with inferior beings could be bearable for you humans." By now she was also used to Slaine's doctrine. It would not have been ridiculous to think that she was more knowledgeable than some citizens of the Theocracy itself.
"Do you think this is a good time for a discussion to arise?" The girl with the bow looked at her through her thick lenses. The purse she carried began to shake, as if something was moving inside. "At the moment we are allies, that's enough for you. Keep friends close, and enemies closer, right? When your king is dead, we will have plenty of time to discuss our doctrine. That is, if you are still alive, of course."
"I will be," now she had all the more reason to make it to the end alive. "I hope you can say the same."
Before Astrologer could counter, a voice was heard drawing attention.
"How much longer?" Zesshi asked. The girl was riding that huge dragon as if it were an ordinary mount. Unlike them, therefore, she should not have been feeling any more fatigue.
"We are almost there," Logem replied, pointing to a waterfall a few miles away. "Near there is the hiding place where I wanted to take you."
"You have a hiding place near the Falls of Remembrance as well?" Agravaine was surprised. She knew that Logem had scattered numerous hiding places in the forest over the years, but she did not believe there was one there as well. "Many elders consider this place sacred. If they knew you established a base here, they would not take it very well."
"Precisely because it is a sacred place, access to which is forbidden to many young people, it is the perfect place to hide," the early afternoon light reflected on the crystal-clear water, moving the elf with its natural spectacle. "Not many nuisances pass this way."
"What's so special about this place? To me, it looks like a waterfall the same as countless others." The Black Scripture little guy's question -why was a child in that group? - was not entirely misplaced.
To an outsider, that place showed nothing noteworthy after all.
"It's an old story," Agravaine began to explain, without thinking if they were interested or caring too much. "It goes back to the time of creation."
"The tear of the tree that holds up the world," the dragon seemed to have finally found something that piqued his interest. "I know it is a very common legend in the creation myths of you elves."
"That sounds interesting," Zesshi's expression appeared genuinely intrigued. A way to reconnect with her roots? Or just a trivial pastime? "Please tell us what's so special about it."
Whatever the answer had been, Agravaine felt there was no harm in having that old story shared.
"According to our traditions, the Forest of Evasha originated from a small seed."
"An entire forest from a single seed? That seems hard to believe." Pondered a muscular man who always carried two mighty shields. How could he move with all that weight on him? "But I admit that usually, tales about the origin of the world turn out to be rather ... peculiar."
"It was no ordinary seed," what could they know about their traditions? Such arrogance. "But one of the children of Ixazalouh, the goddess whose roots support the vault of heaven."
"This one seems really..."
"Silence!" Zesshi unceremoniously blocked the tattooed man's almost certain disrespectful comment. "Continue."
Divine Chain shut up on the spot, taking care not to emit the slightest breath.
"All great natural landscapes are the result of the union of the goddess with one of her brothers. Deserts, for example, are born of Ixazalouh's love with Pedemonte, the deity who holds up the sun in the sky."
She seemed to have captured the attention of those present, except for Logem, who imperiously continued to lead the way for the others.
This was not unexpected; her brother had always thought their traditions nonsense. The fact that there were numerous variations of them according to tribe justified his skepticism.
How could dozens and dozens of absolute truths exist together at the same time?
Agravaine believed that numerous versions enriched the appeal of history, but she understood those who thought differently.
"So, the world would be the result of incest?"
This time Divine Chain had been able to voice his thoughts without being interrupted. His companion, Astrologer, gave him a look that could have crushed a giant on the spot.
"Ehehehe," but Agravaine did not find it such a disrespectful comment. In a way, he was right. "Yes, that's not a wrong observation."
"It's not that unusual," the little guy interjected, shaking off some leaves that had fallen on the cloak he was wearing. "I think some people living in the southern deserts have similar stories. It is a pattern that is repeated in numerous traditions, not just in humans. I remember reading something similar in an anthropology book a long time ago."
"Probably," in another life, Agravaine would have loved being able to devote himself to the study of those topics. There was something fascinating about seeing how each population found its own answers to questions about the origin of life. "Anyway, Evasha's forest, as you may have guessed by now, was the result of the goddess's relationship with her brother Huangpu, the weeping god whose tears fill the oceans and other water sources."
But these were just absurd aspirations that would never be realized.
"This waterfall, a place where water and earth meet, is believed to be the place where their love was born."
"And so, this would be the place where the seed that would give birth to all this would sprout," Zesshi concluded, dismounting from the dragon. Logem had signaled for them to stop, evidently because they had arrived at their destination.
"Yes," but the story did not end there. "When the goddess saw that her offspring would begin to grow, she decided that she could not leave them alone. From her arms, resembling giant branches, gigantic fruits began to grow, which ripened in seconds. From those fruits took shape all the races that inhabit our home, elves included."
Silly, maybe. But at least explained the bond between elves and nature. A profound connection born from love.
"That's a good story," the half-elf approached her brother, who had stopped near what looked like a tunnel carved into the rock. "I'd love to hear more, if you don't object."
"Perhaps in the future," Logem had answered for her. "Now we have other things to think about. Don't you agree, Lady Zesshi?"
"Lead the way." Zesshi signaled the emerald dragon to wait for her near the waterfall as she approached her Black Scripture companions. "I can't wait to see what you have to show me."