The teapot whistled as Mira controlled the flames in her hand. Isaan’s late afternoon teatime approached, and she couldn’t trust the stove not to burn the tea again. He impatiently waited for her to finish pouring the liquid before he grabbed the cups from her hands.
She ignored his insults as she continued to control the heat of the teapot. Though her flame talents were nothing compared to her master, Mira tried to practice his lessons while he watched. She focused and remained relaxed through the verbal abuse to control the flame until the mixture was brewed properly. She controlled magic easier in the wraith’s form, but Isaan ordered her to learn spells as herself in case of immediate escape. The only difference was the concentration needed to shift into the wraith.
“I can properly heat my own tea,” Isaan sneered as he pushed his glasses up his thin nose.
“Apologies, Master,” She bowed her head, “Yesterday, you instructed me to properly heat your tea today. I will ask your preference tomorrow.”
The warmth in her hand sizzled away as the spell dissipated. As she relaxed her concentration, the sounds of boots outside the hidden cottage caught her attention. She closed her eyes to count the difference in gaits, pressure, and anything else she could report.
In the lower mountains of eastern Zrud, there would be no stray travelers wandering onto her master’s property. Let alone in the bandit infested area he instructed her to build the house in. She had purposely placed sound traps to warn her if anyone approached the house, at his instruction. Snapping twigs and the jingle of a feeding bell outside of the chicken coop wafted through the air.
“Master, I believe I heard something outside,” Mira spoke quietly, “Would you allow me to investigate?”
“It’s an animal,” He waved a hand dismissively, “Stop trying to get out of work.”
Mira moved to the kitchen and prepared snacks for her master. She summoned a small knife to her hands and sliced bread. She slathered thin layers of butter and jam on the slices. When she placed the plate on the table, he greedily grabbed a slice and bit into it.
“You are right. It is likely nothing. The chickens may want an early dinner,” She nodded and motioned to the bookshelf on the other wall, “Which book would you prefer to read this afternoon? You have not touched the report on the tribal disputes of Agrowl’s history in quite some time.”
“I would rather listen to music,” He grunted after sipping from his teacup, “Play for me before your practice. Focus your swordplay on the dual blade technique. That display at the duchy was atrocious and I haven’t seen you try to correct it.”
Mira tied her hair up, “I did not anticipated the ram to come so quickly. That was my mistake.”
“That and bringing that thing to me,” Isaan scrunched his nose as if he smelled something foul, “You know how I detest halfbreeds –and pseudo-guard. The son of a rich merchant would perhaps be acceptable. Then you could have robbed him.”
“It was not my intention to displease you, Master,” She lowered her head, “Should I arrive in the situation again, I will act accordingly.”
Mira moved a small curtain and pulled a damaged stringed instrument from behind it. She sat on the floor in the main room of the cottage before tuning it. When she heard another twig snap, her head perked up to look to her master. He rolled his eyes and gestured to her to begin.
“What would you like to hear today?” Mira strummed a light, pleasing tone.
Before he could answer, a hard fist slammed against the door. Isaan sighed and placed his glasses gentle on the table. A small feeling of pride and smugness filled her chest over his angry look.
“Would you like me to answer that?”
“No, I will handle it,” He stood with an annoyed sigh, “It’s probably those damned bandits demanding more money. Be prepared to remove the pests.”
Mira pushed his chair into the table as he walked towards the door. She swayed softly behind the wall to the kitchen and gently leaned against it to hide her presence. Isaan opened the door enough to glare through to the other side.
“Isaan Naybellos, by order of Queen Azalea Hangral of Zrud, I hereby place you under arrest!” Commander Smite folded the wanted poster and handed it to a nearby knight, “You may, and are urged, to come quietly and peacefully to the capital to await your trial.”
Isaan shook his head and chuckled, “I do not think I will be on trial anytime soon.”
The man grabbed the sword at his side, “My orders were to bring you in dead or alive. I’ll gladly take dead.”
Isaan viewed the army outside of his cottage and looked towards the kitchen. Mira did not have to hear the words to know the command. Her brand burned and she placed a hand over the mask in her belt’s bag. The power coming from it licked ravenously at her fingertips.
“I refuse,” The elf’s blue hand fell to the whip at his side, “What now?”
“You’ll have to fight off this army,” Smite drew his sword and attempted to kick the elf into the cottage.
Finally, Jonen thought, this would end.
They spent the previous three months traveling and training in the wilderness of Zrud to find Isaan Naybellos. Week after week, the large group of Zrud army soldiers and Travel Knights excruciatingly searched in clusters to find any clue to the elf’s whereabouts. Finding the elf was harder than originally anticipated, as the area was overrun with bandits. After arresting nearly half of the groups they encountered, one bandit finally caved with Isaan’s location.
Nearly five hundred battle-ready soldiers waited for the orders to attack. Smite waited until he felt he had enough back up to take the infamous elementalist down. After all, Isaan’s crimes did not stop at Zrud’s borders. In fact, persons that could verify or provide witness were assassinated quickly after they spoke up: scholars, friends, or passing acquaintances. It did not matter. If they dared speak up, their life quickly ended.
“Come peacefully,” Smite commanded, “And you may li—”
Isaan’s whip sparked ablaze as he cracked it towards the men. An explosion from the force sent the dozen of them backwards from the small staircase. The elf cackled maliciously as the soldiers stumbled back to their feet. He walked slowly down the stairs and an orb of fire formed in his unoccupied hand.
“Kill them,” Isaan looked over his shoulder, “Burn everything to the ground when you are finished.”
Smite got to his feet before calling for a forward charge. Small units surged up the hill towards the cottage. The battle cries bolstered their courage as they ran towards the elf. Then, the air stiffened around them as a strange miasma spread from behind him. Jonen felt his skin crawl as the creature stepped calmly through the doorway and examined the battlefield around it.
His heart paused from fright as it turned its face towards them. At least, the glowing orbs on the beast looked in his direction. The elder’s description had not done the thing justice. The hair-raising panic caused him to stare directly at the wraith in awe. Jonen felt what he imagined many did. He was prey and there was nothing he could do about it.
Jonen shook the thought from his head as he closed the visor on his helm and waited the call for his platoon to charge. The dreadful feeling clung to him through his armor as the wraith peacefully walked down the stairs and waited for anyone to move. The quiet scene and still serenity felt misplaced from the horror surrounding it.
“It can’t kill all of us. Slay the thing and capture the –” Smite started.
Before Jonen could blink, the wraith appeared in front of Smite with a long-bladed glaive in its hand. It cocked its head to the side as if it had a horrifying question. Jonen could not hear what was said, but the lightening quick slash of the blade detached Smite’s head from his shoulders. As the man’s head rolled down the hill, the wraith slammed the blunt end of the weapon into the ground to draw the attention of all the warriors around it.
“Go,” It looked to Isaan.
The demonic voice caused a solider next to Jonen to gasp. As Isaan fled, the group of men that dared follow were cut down as easily as Smite’s head. The wraith stood between the large group of soldiers and the escaping elf. It cocked its head again and scanned the crowd.
“If you flee now, I will spare you,” The voice rang out from an unmoving, mouthless mask, “If you stay, I will eliminate you. Decide now.”
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
As the attention wavered from the wraith, the second wave of pursers chased after Isaan. The dark fog that concentrated around the creature swallowed the pursers and held them into place. It slowly walked to them, and the blade sliced their lives away. When the fog absorbed back into the wraith, their bodies fell limp.
The bright, lilac orbs in the mask stared after runaways with an uninterested gaze. Jonen looked around to see a few dozen warriors sprint down the hill and away from the battle. He did not blame them. Unlike them, the fear of death long left him.
Jonen tightened his grip on his father’s shield and drew his sword. His comrades mimicked his motions and prepared for the fight. That day was as good as any to start the next cycle.
The wraith’s elegant movements surprised Jonen as it expertly weaved against dozens of opponents at once. The silver hair twirled around the uncanny creature like unnaturally ribbon. Its nearly liquid movements looked like an elegant dance through a crowd of fully armored, unlucky bystanders. It would have been beautiful if it had not been so terrorizing.
With each blink, at least five more soldiers fell as lifeless husks to the ground. The mist swayed around ankles and calves, pulling its prey to the ground. The wraith would simply twirl around the pile of bodies to the clear area and continue the fight.
Without their commanding officer, the battle soon devolved into an unorganized massacre. Too many soldiers surrounded the monster for archers to aim. Fighters pushed each other to either flee or attack the wraith. The only ones able to handle the battle were nearby mages that threw pitiful wards to boost the other knights before their deaths.
Jonen studied the wraith’s movements to find a pattern to counteract. He noticed the precise hits that caused immediate death or inoperable pain to its victims. He took a deep breath and look to those around him.
“On me!” He held his sword up to lead his team in lieu of Smite, “We’ve got to work together!”
They charged further into the swirling mist that raised up to his waist. Jonen felt his lungs tighten in his chest with each breath in the dark smoke. He had to overcome his instincts to flee and hold his head high for those around him. He continued to keep eye contact on the wraith’s movements as he prepared his own spell.
He wasn’t a powerful mage, but Jonen joined the knighthood to hone the small ability he did have. If he could wield it properly, then he would be of more use. He could only perform one spell reliably with his few years of practice. He took a deep breath and held it as he focused his energy into the center of his shield. A small sapphire set into the glossy metal was the focal point of his spell.
“Vanora be with me,” He whispered as the wraith turned its hollowed gaze towards him, “My strength combine with yours to protect my people.”
The wraith yanked its blade from the indented armor of its latest victim. It eyed him and leveled the tip of its weapon. As it reared back to swing, Jonen hid behind his shield and sprinted towards the creature.
“Release!” Jonen yelled as the wraith’s spear collided with his shield.
The blast of energy catapulted the wraith backwards and knocked Jonen off his feet. The wraith laughed heartily as it twirled in a graceful landing. It cut down another attacker as it walked towards Jonen. He could hardly hear from the ringing in his ears as it approached.
“You’ve managed to throw me off my feet,” Its low voice chuckled as its spear swung to block and incoming sword, “Now, you have my attention.”
“You don’t have to kill anyone!” Jonen struggled to his feet and held his sword defensively, “We only came for the elf. Not you, despite everything you’ve done!”
The wraith titled itself as it began circling him, “I also gave everyone here a chance to flee. I can hear the ones running in the forest. I will honor my agreement and let them live. Those who chose to remain and fight… will die.”
Jonen watched as the wraith played cat and mouse with him. It swatted away attackers with ease at it circled him.
“Why? Why do this?” He blocked a lazy swing from the spear’s blade.
“It is not up to me who lives or dies,” The wraith kicked backwards to send another soldier flying down the hill, “Unfortunately, you’ve held my attention long enough.”
Jonen felt the blood pour from the wound before he even registered the blade swept across his stomach. His armor was as protective as paper from the attack. He gripped his stomach as he fell to his knees. It stood above him, and time seemed to slow down as he looked into the eyes of his reaper.
The wraith cut a line across his shield-bearing arm. Jonen felt the arm go numb and heard his shield clatter to the ground. He tried to get up and fight, but its foot impacted his chest and knock him down to the ground with enough force to knock his helm off. The bones in his right ankle cracked as the wraith stomped on it to keep him from fleeing. The wraith paused and took an attack as it positioned its blade above his torso.
“May your goddess ease your transition,” It rammed the spear downwards.
Jonen’s vision blurred as he focused on the glowing eyes. Soon, the mist or the darkness swallowed the light away from everything around him until they faded. He felt an endless sense of falling and throbbing. He tried to take a deep breath before he felt a hand lay gentle against his chest.
His eyes fluttered open and saw a beautiful, grassy plain that he recognized immediately. The lush grass, scent of blooming flowers, and crisp sunshine reminded him of the summers he spent in Saceida with his father. He grabbed the hand on his chest and looked to see the woman he remembered.
“Jonen,” The young elf smiled as she laid in the grass next to him, “Fancy meeting you here.”
The way her ears danced as she grinned at him, took him back. He was sixteen again, sending a wonderful summer night with his betrothed. She ran her fingers through his moppy hair before kissing his forehead. Her pale green skin nearly blended in with the waves of grass around her and her lilac eyes still gripped his heart, just as he remembered.
“Shayleigh,” He pulled her closer to him, “Is… is it finally over?”
Jonen took a deep breath as he squeezed her against him. It had been years since he felt her warmth, smelled the herbs in her hair, or tasted the berries on her breath. She wrapped her arms back around him.
“Silly,” She caressed his face in her hands as she pulled back from him, “You aren’t supposed to be here.”
“Shay,” He kissed her cheek, “I’m so sorry. I never meant to—”
“Jonen,” Her voice was a mere whisper over his apologetic stutters, “I know. Lay here Remember this night? Think of why I would be waiting here for you.”
She fell to his side and pointed to the purples and oranges of the setting sun. He rolled to his side and gripped her firmly. He missed her in his arms. He watched as she pointed to the clouds he dreamed about.
“This was the first summer you met my father,” He kissed her again, “This was the night our fathers agreed on our union. We…”
Shay grinned, “We laid together right here. Not a short hike from your father’s house. The goddess held me here, the time of my happiest memory.”
Jonen tried to wipe away the tears from his eyes as her happiness filled him. She laughed at his blush as he remembered the first time they slept together.
“You haven’t been reborn. You’ve been waiting for me?” He grimaced before stroking the hair from her face, “Are we to join the cycle together, then?”
“Jonen, you aren’t supposed to be here,” She shook her head, “I am here because she let me stay to speak to you when you inevitably ended up in this situation.”
She kissed him gently and playfully poked at his chest. He chuckled and pulled her closer to him.
“I knew you would have a hard time after my passing. The moment I was given an option, I chose to wait here, for you to join me,” She smiled, “Just to tell you goodbye.”
“I should have never—”
“We know we were getting married from a young age,” Shay playfully swatted at him, “We grew up together. I know everything about you, silly. I know you as well as you know yourself. I know you didn’t mean to. I know you are sorry. I know you would take it back if you could.”
“In a heartbeat,” Jonen wrapped his fingers in hers and kissed her hand gently.
“But, I wouldn’t want you to,” Shayleigh’s lilac eyes sparkled in the sunset, “I’m free, now. I wanted to run away from my responsibilities at the temple. I wanted us to run away together and travel the world.”
“But we will never get to do that,” Jonen squeezed her hand lightly, “because I—”
“The goddess has promised to place me favorably in my next cycle if I waited,” She pulled their hands to her face, “With a message for you.”
“For me?”
“Yes,” The pale green elf placed a finger over his lips to stop him from speaking, “I need you to stick around. Stop trying to harm yourself through battles and fights. She has plans for you.”
“It’s been so long, Shayleigh,” He sighed heavily placed his face against her shoulder, “My heart is still broken. I… I can’t do this without you. I never could.”
“You are a warrior, my sweet knight. I know you can do it,” She held his face gently, “You were always a protector. My own father taught you to fight. I held your shield when you practiced all those nights.”
Her smile faded as she became serious with her next words. She looked deep into his sapphire eyes to connect with him.
“Jonen… The accident was not your fault. You could not control powers you didn’t know you had,” She kissed him gently, “Don’t isolate yourself because of the accident. Move on.”
“I could never love another,” Jonen shook his head and pulled her closer, “I could never find someone else. I’d wait an entire lifetime to be with you again.”
Shayleigh laughed before stretching and placing a hand on his face, “Jonen, you know elves have multiple partners over their lifetimes. You could very well live to be three hundred. You could become the first half-elf elder. It will not break my heart if you sought another’s company.”
He smiled coyly and turned his mouth into the palm of her hand, “No living creature could replace you.”
“You’re just being childish now, Jonen,” She chuckled and leaned closer to him, “We’re allowed multiple soulmates. I am and will forever be one of yours. We will meet again one day. It may not be for a few cycles, but when we meet, I will love you again.”
He kissed her gently, “Promise?”
“Of course.”
Jonen rolled onto his back and Shayleigh placed her head snuggly against his chest. He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her closer. The long-forgotten sounds of the small village just out of view were bustled as the people gathered to celebrate their union’s acceptance. The two watched the perfectly frozen sunset in a comfortable silence.
“What are Her plans for me?” Jonen asked.
She shrugged, “I wasn’t allowed to know anymore because She, rightfully, believed I would tell you and influence what happens when you return.”
“Let someone else do it.”
“What?” She snorted, “That’s not up to me.”
“Keep me forever,” He sighed, “I could spend an eternity here. The perfect day transitioning to the perfect night, next to the woman I love, and filled with happiness. It would be my ultimate reverie.”
“Oh, you are hopeless romantic,” She giggled, “You must go soon, though. You have to wake up.”
The two laid in silence with each other until Shayleigh sat up and moved to sit on his lap as she faced him.
“One last kiss?” He grinned impishly, “It’s been about seven years, now. I think I waited long enough.”
She nodded and Jonen pulled her to him and kissed passionately. The taste of berries was something he longed for after her death. He felt the tears in his eyes escape as she pulled away. Her watery eyes looked back at him.
“Goodbye, Jonen,” She kissed his forehead, “In my next life, I hope to join your journey again.”
He reached out to push a stray lock of hair behind her ear, but the vision of her –the grass fields they laid in, the warmth of her body against his, the beautiful night – fell away. His heart sank as the dark void snatched him and threw him into a pool of pain and misery. As his eyes fluttered open, he regretted it wasn’t just a dream.