Two Worlds (Atherium x Rosie)

[Rosie]

The blacksmiths was unsurprisingly dingy and mouldy, with the establishment formed in a rather run down looking building, the bricks soiled with the ash and dust that caked the walls of the room her, Thorak and Zael had entered. The smell was as welcoming as the blacksmith who was reluctantly standing back at Zael’s request, and Thorak’s gentle threat, which made her grin to herself. Seeing people in undeserving positions of arrogance and power being taken down a peg was something she would never get sick of.


-----------------------------------------


Following the reforging of the hammer, Zael looked simply exhausted. Being away from Vektros was taking an ever increasingly prominent toll on him. The thought, Elvina believed, was nauseating. And so, when the hammer was plonked back into Thorak’s plates for hands, Elvina pulled up the nearest chair that lay unused by the door and sat her companion down in it with her hand just resting carefully on his cheek while she looked back to the giant.


“So?” She asked, causing his gaping eyes to loom down at her. While his attention was diverted from the miracle he had encountered, Elvina seized the opportunity by the scruff of the neck. “Don’t tell us you’re backing out now.” With her head tilted, her lips grew into a mischievous smile, which Thorak returned, but with a determination that was tangible. His huge head nodded profusely, and he wielded his weapon as if it was the first time he had laid hands on it, like a giddy excitement. Seeing such a ginourmous man act in this way almost made the girl laugh, but she swallowed it into the pit of her stomach, saving it for a more appropriate time. What happened next shocked them both.


“I am in debt to you. I have been searching for help for years, and you are the first who agreed to accompany me. And then..” Thorak knelt before the two in respect, and Elvina stepped back to give his legs more space. For a moment, silence filled the room, but his throaty voice boomed through the air once more. “..And then you relieve me of my heaviest burden.” Lifting his head, Thorak squinted earnestly at the two who stood before him. “I offer you my protection from here on out. And for you..” Standing now, Thorak delved his hand into his pocket, which was roughly the same size as the bag that hung across her back, and pulled out a tiny jar attached to a thin gold chain. When presented with it, Elvina retrieved it from his palm, looking closely at it. Inside was a tiny amount of what looked to be black glitter, reflecting against the glass than encased it.


“What is it?” Elvina would have preferred to keep an air of mystery around the gift, but she could not stand not to ask. Shaking it curiously, she proceeded to sling it round her neck, the jar bouncing happily against her chest.


“It is something I saved from my home before escaping. Even the most tremendous of enemies can seem small if you try hard enough.” To her, that wasn’t much of an explanation, but the girl bit her tongue. When the time was right, it’s purpose would be revealed. Turning to Zael, Thorak brought out another gift, holding it under his nose. Laying against his rough, greenish skin, was an oily rag which seemed to cover what Zael could only assume was the gift. “You are not from this world.” Thorak declared quietly, so the blacksmith was unable to hear. “I do not know how you got here. But I hope you find your way back. You are lost, just as I am.” When Zael took the rag, he flipped it off, seeing a small compass underneath. Thorak looked upon it with sentimental pride. “It will point towards what you need most, and guide you to where you need to go.” As of now, the red pin was violently vibrating in the direction of Elvina, and when the girl stepped from side to side, it urgently followed her every move. Thorak sighed quietly and clasped Zael’s fingers round it. “Then that is what you need most. How strange that must be for you.”

 

[Atherium]

Zael felt as if he had just been pulled out of a vortex. His head was spinning and his body was fatigued beyond limits, all while his internal pumps worked their best to keep him supplied on the recycled energy he used to continue functioning. He couldn't even understand where exactly he has found strenght enough to pick up the hammer and return it to its former owner, who, upon receiving it, seemed to have gained the most important part of himself. But he did. And Thorak's suddenly good spirits made him feel reenergized in a way. It was as if this warm hearted giant was slowly reloading him, by some strange powers. Strangely interesting, he noted briefly in his mind while he yet could, before Elvina all but grabbed him gently and sat him on a chair, afraid that he might collapse. It wouldn't be the first time to happen since they knew each other, as he recalled the incident back on the beach. What a strange incident, indeed.


And now Thorak presented both of them with gifts. For Elvina, a strange jar with a strange content, and for him... He looked upon the compass with bright eyes,gently running his fingers against it. It was something of a rare beauty, something that he could whole-heartedly admit he hasn't seen in Vektros. His homeland was house to much greater technology but this... it was as if he had just lain hands on the oldest piece of Drenethar history. He listened fascinated how Thorak explained how the little device worked and was both surprised and awestruck when it pointed out Elvina as what he needed the most. He felt again that strange feeling, so heavy, sweet and weird at the same time. But he was decided not to yield to it and to keep himself up and away from it the best he could. This was not yet the time. For now, they had to help the giant take back his home. The blacksmith was still in shock for what he had witnessed and yet couldn't utter a word.


"So, what are we waiting for?" Thorak asked, now overly enthusiastic and fully refreshed with his hammer resting, peaceful for now, upon his back. "Let us go. My brother has some questions to answer." He nodded before taking the exit, making the blacksmith snap out of his trance and immediately move away from the door. Zael stood up as well, confident that for now he was fully alright, and, taking Elvina's hand yet again, a gesture that by now was usual to him, he also made his way out, just in time before the blacksmith, now curious, managed to shoot a question in his direction. But the words were lost in the air and taken away by the cold wind. Thorak had returned to his shop, having met a young boy on the way, and, as Elvina and Zael were also heading towards the shop, the young man exitted carrying the furs that they initially had to take back to Skystead. He was going to deliver them. Thorak exitted the shop as well and, after locking the door with a heavy pad, he made way towards the two, ready to accompany them in journey.


As the trio exitted Skystead, more and more people were gazing at them with the same mix of concern, despise or other unknown feelings. It didn't make Zael feel uncomfortable, but it probably did that to Elvina or Thorak. The guards were the only ones who seemed so content with the three finally exitting their settlement, and the "Return this way!" farewells they let out sounded more like "Never return, at all!". Zael couldn't help but notice, but it almost made him laugh. Almost. The three were now out in the open, walking a road covered with snow. Luckily enough, there was no Blizzard anymore, and so they walked safely, for now.


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The next hour found the three travelling through small patches of trees, trees stripped of leaves and covered in snow. Trees that looked like skeletal old men who had gathered together to speak. Or skeletal vagrants ready to grab any passer-by with their thin, sharp arms. Somewhere, in the distance, a lone wolf howled, in search of his long, lost mate, The slight wind swept through the air and brought with it a strange smell. A smell that even Zael could feel. So ominous, so disgusting. "Stand tight, children, we are getting close to my village. We might encounter some resistance." Thorak spoke in a strange silence, the first voice to be heard from the trio since they left Skarvald. Since then, each of them has been thinking about their own things, and, not wishing to burden the others with it, they just kept silence.


Now the path was slowly narrowing for a bit, then enlarging, spreading out into a large, open field. On the other side of the field lain ruins. Ruins of huge houses, build of massive stone carved probably from the mouintains themselves. Thorak's face was soon invaded by a darkness that has been only contained within his soul/ A heavy sigh escaped him as they approached the ruins. But that smell wouldn't stop obsessing them. It smelled like death. "This was my home once..." Thorak mumbled as he encouraged Zael and Elvina to advance, somewhat behind him. They were now passing through the first set of ruined houses, and Zael all but gazed around. It reminded him of Vektros after the first wave of bombardments.


But that smell was so persistent and grew even worse as they approached a certain part. Thorak felt something in his guts and led the two there, The ancestors' burial grounds. As the trio approached, the sense of dread and heavy heart was growing and growing, until it exploded upon the sight of what was happening within the small place.


A giant man, much like Thorak, stood by what appeared to be a human form, cloaked in a dark robe. A strange energy was engulfing the two, as the human chanted something in a strange tongue. The three stood and watched as the chanting caught pace, and how, suddenly, the ground started crackling, all while large skeletic hands were protruding through, grabbing at the thin air. Thorak folded his fist in anger and sheer rage at the realization of what his brother was doing. For the giant man standing by the necromancer was his very brother. .

 

[Rosie]

Elvina swore she could hear Thorak growl under his breath, and despite his ability to be excitable and well, she supposed happy, the girl did not mistake the reality of what he was, and consequently what he was capable of. She felt an array of emotions at what she was witnessing, but disbelief was sweeping over her body like a tidal wave. She wanted to scrunch her eyes shut, wait for a hopeful moment, and then glare out again to find that she was imagining all this. But alas, when she took in her surroundings once more, Zael's hand was still heavy in hers, and by now, Thorak was stepping forward. Unfortunately, Elvina was blessed, or in some cases cursed, with being reflexively and aggressively righteous. Finding the urge to offer Thorak support in his approach swelled into her throat, but for the now countless time, she managed to police her emotions and instead waited patiently for the inevitable violence to ensue.


"Grimund!" Thorak bellowed, making the ground rumble uneasily while a flock of birds took flight from the tallest tree a few yards away. His anger was disturbing nature itself, and that was disturbing Elvina, who's heart had shrivelled, refusing to pump any longer. When his brother turned, his face was surprisingly calm. Perhaps he had expected this. Nevertheless, the ritual was still being continued despite the interruption. What first caught the couple's eye was the jagged scar that embedded itself into the giant's leathery skin, running from his left eye (which was no longer in use, and was instead replaced with thick, protective skin) and down to the base of his chin. "I see it never healed." Thorak commented with a sickeningly triumphant smirk. Ah, so the injury was a battlewound, and by the way he was eyeing the now reforged hammer, Elvina assumed it was of Thorak's doing. Speaking of which, the giant specimen had switched his now rather urgent gaze to the exposed arms that were clumsily trying to haul themselves from the dirt from which they had rested. "They are your family, too. You cannot let them find peace, even in death. Was killing them not enough for you?" Once again, his brother was frustratingly silent. "Answer me!" Thorak yelled, now clutching his hammer with a malicious intent, his eyes darting restlessly from the giant to the necromancer.


"A dead man needs no answers." Grimund retorted collectedly. This confrontation was not phasing him in the slightest, it was as if he knew he had already won. In a fit of rage at the passive reactions he was faced with Thorak roared and raised his hammer to the sky, bringing it down onto the necromancer that stood close to him. His body collapsed under the unprecedented weight, yet without hesitation, a bright green light whoosed into the air, high above them all. Inside the glowering circle, was the spirit of an ancient ancestor, who's body was mangled and destroyed by the battle in which they died in. All of them stared up at the apparition, the outline of which was beginning to darken with a sinister expression. Through this, it remained silent, but then released a blood curdling scream from it's chapped and frosty lips. Elvina clamped her hands down on her ears and peered up at it, wind beginning to thump and billow round them while it's eyes shone an unnaturally bright shade of white, it's translucent body beginning to convulse. All the while, the skeletons seemed to be growing stronger, some of which were almost fully exposed from the earth with pieces of rotting flesh dangling from their muddy bones. It looked to be some kind of deadly summoning, and Thorak stumbled back to the his accompaniments, definitely looking as though his decision was being heavily regretted. Meanwhile, Elvina reached behind her to grab the handle of her battleaxe which had remained annoyingly unused. Could you even kill something that was already dead?


"You've will pay the price for your foolish outburst!" Grimund howled towards the giant that stood before him, who was now staring in awe as the necromancer hovered off the ground, and was lowered back onto his feet. Turning to them, the trio were met with a mere blackened empty space which was hooded by his cloak. The necromancer had no face, and Elvina doubted whether he was ever human to begin with.

 

[Atherium]

Everything happened so quickly Zael barely had the time to register. First, he saw how Grimund assisted a hooded figure into raising the dead from the ancestor grounds of Thorak's settlement. He seemed to be just a mere pool of energy for the necromancer that used his dark, vile and twisted magic to disturb the slumber of the predecesors. Old, and new, skeletons kept rising from the grave. Some still fresh enough for rotten flesh to hang off the bones, and some as old as to only be a pile of bones connected by the disgusting magic that returned them into undeath. The very next moments, Thorak charged at the hooded figure, striking with his hammer like an almighty god of thunder, besting the vile magic worker with no effort at all. But it didn't all just stop there. Grimund seemed way too calm for somebody who has lost. No, he lost nothing. Now the ancient spirit floated above the ground, like a macabre omen. A tortured spirit trapped, enslaved in the poisoned chains conjured by the necromancer. More skeletons rose from the ground as warriors, with weapons at ready. Zael assumed it was the tradition of the Hamarr, as warrior beings, was to bury their dead with their weapons. And now it was all backfiring. This was one hell of a situation.


But the shock was intensified by the hooded figure rising again and revealing that it was nothing more but thin air wearing a robe. Zael was thrown inevitably in disbelief. This was clearly an illusion. Thin air wearing a robe was impossible, the black cloth would collapse to the ground in an instant should it stand erected on nothing more but empty space. No, this was something he could not believe. But yet, you see dead rising from their grave due to a vile sort of sorcery and you believe it? A voice questioned in his mind, making him reconsider it all. Maybe, just maybe the robe covering nothing but air was not as impossible given the circumstances. The vektrosian was now eager to find out what was the reasoning behind this whole madness, but before he could question out loud, Thorak did it. "Grimund. Brother, have you lost your mind? What in the name of thunderstorms got into you that you turned to this? Why have you done this all? Is this what you think father meant to say when he spoke with the death tongue to us to keep our kind alive?" He asked, his voice clearly bearing an affected tone. He tried keeping his temper in check, all while he gripped onto his hammer with even more strenght. This time, though, it seemed Grimund was ready to answer, and, after shooting a short twisted half smile, he took a step closer. His voice was dark and heavy, just as the whole atmosphere in that place.


"Thorak. You have always been the weak link of us. You have always kept it as it always was and never opened your eyes to the ultimate truth. The world is crumbling. These... strangers..." He motioned with his head towards Zael and Elvina " They are degrading it, destroying it, taking it from us. Did you not see what happens in the South, as of late? What do you honestly believe it would remain of us, Thorak? That's right. Nothing. Good enough for me that i have accepted the dark enlightning i have been bestowed upon. I saw the truth. Unfortunately, neither you, nor our other brothers wanted to accept this truth so i had to... persuade them... and He helped me in this matter." Grimund nodded his head towards the necromancer that seemed to be watching and listening. Zael also watched, and listened, and, due to his brilliant mind, he immediately pieced the puzzle together. The necromancer was not there because he was, in a way, controlling Grimund's mind. He could see it in the healthy eye, that dark, violent and morbid glow that sent chills even into the vektrosian's mechanical spine. It made him sick. As it probably did Elvina. As for Thorak, it seemed that each word spoken by his envenomed once brother struck into him heavily, breaking a piece of him each until there was nothing left. And an intense cold was slowly spreading from the giant as his gaze stared blankly at Grimund. He spoke with anger and pain rising into his throat, threatening to burst into a heavy cry.


"No... it... it can't be... you killed each and every one of them and bent them to your will... you destroyed what father has left behind..." His free hand curled into a fist that was folding intensely, along with his whole muscular structure, to the point where the vibration of his body resonated with the stone of the mountain itself, causing the gigantic structure to behind quaking and trembling. Thorak's rage was influencing the whole environment. The blizzard returned, clod winds whipping the snow all around all while the giant was growing angrier. And oh, Grimund seemed so content of the result of his mockery. Thorak's voice boomed now at full volume, echoing far into the sky as he rose Hjalgar to the sky. "Valfrjda, Storm Maiden, grant me Your might!" He called out, the hammer bursting light as all while thunders began roaring into the sky. Zael now knew this fight was not for him and Elvina to take, but could not begin to understand why was it that they have been taken with the giant. The vektrosian moved towards Elvina, who stood there, awestruck by the intensity of the moment, and with no gentleness, he pulled her towards him, shielding her from the violent blizzard with his own body as he took the full whipping of the snow.


It was then when from the whole chaos, the horizon beyond the ruined village spawned an oncoming line of giants. 5 at the forefront, leading behind them dozens of walking cadavers each. The surreal sight was sickening and absolutely horrendous to behold, and Thorak's rage was now thousandfold, causing the mountain to quake again. It would not be long until mighty avalanches would race down the slopes. For the next few moments, as the whole undead army assembled, Zael pondered whether or not to storm away with Elvina after him. They would be nothing but casualties in this war of titans. No. They had to stay. He has already fled a battle, the one for his home. So did Elvina. They had to stay and be there for Thorak. They may not have meant much in the whole plot, but if it helped the giant to regain his confidence, it was not in vain. The vektrosian now pulled away from Elvina only to draw his own sword and step at the side of Thorak. As did the human girl. Grimund seemed yet amused and still kept that sinister grin upon his face. "Fools... you wish to die, then so be it." He muttered before he pointed forward to the trio, commanding the grim army to launch the charge, forefronted by the dead bodies of Thorak's brothers.


The chaos unfolded. Lighting struck once and it did again, as Thorak stormed his way through the skeletons, his mace delivering mighty blows that turned skulls to dust that was whooshed away by the storm. Zael and Elvina, too, fought bravely. The vektrosian now tried to remember what he learned back in Skystead, but with bone giants constantly invading him, he could not exactly think rationally, and so his blade struck left and right, having him discover the blade was as sharp that it cut through bone with no problem. Elvina's axe was just as stout, and the fight picked up momentum, but the armies seemed endless. And then came a second, a split second in which time stretched painfully. Half turned towards his human companion, Zael observed how a rather huge axe was heading from behind towards Elvina's neck curve, threatening to get her head off her shoulders in the moment. His whole world crumbled down as he witnessed the scene unfold in such a painfully slow motion. He felt genuine pain. But determination had him raise his blade and, after a second that seemed like a full day, he observed how his blade collided with the skeletal's axe, deviating its route from the girl's neck. A cold relief washed over him for the moment, and a wave of energy bursted through him, but the moment was short lived.


A blade had managed to protrude all the way through his back, and its sharp tip exitted through his chest, setting off sparks and small explosions as it retreated. The vektrosian's eyes opened widely at the realisation that he has been full blown impaled by the skeleton he has ignored while saving his companion's life. He could not tell, in the despair that rose, whether or not the blade struck through his core, but the blade he held fell into the snow, as his body began twitching while more and more sparks errupted from the huge cut within him. But not only sparks. He felt a liquid starting to invade the place, all while the ground beneath him, the snow, became tainted with pure, red blood, flooding from his body. His knee joints finally gave in, and his body fell to knees, all while he struggled to stay awake. He only could watch Elvina continue her fight as he felt blood rising into his throat and errupting in coughs from his mouth. And he could not understand how, or why. But he felt the end was near, and it scared him.

 

[Rosie]

Fighting for her life in such a vigorous way, and so continuously, was testing the limits of her now painfully human capabilities. Her began to ache despite the lightweight weapon that was clutched in her sweating palms. Skeletons were coming a her from every direction, and the smell, the smell was the most astonishingly gruesome part. Rotting flesh mixed with ageing dirt was enough to distract anyone from the task at hand, even for a moment, which could result in deadly consequences. The girl had just finished decapitating the hanging skull from one of the possessed warriors, and while her battleaxe was swinging towards the trodden and extinguished grass, she only had time to notice Zael reaching over behind her with his blade, the collision being signalled with a mighty clank that shook her eardrums, just as Thorak's booming yells did. It felt as if her whole body had vibrated from the resonating shock. With eyes full of realisation, she stared behind her at the axe that was being deterred from her neck which had began to tingle at the thought of what could have been.


"Thankyou Za-" Her words were scrambling up her throat, but they failed to make it out of her mouth, the letters scratching their nails against her tongue as they slipped back down into her stomach. Speaking of which, it was imploding in her body and then folding in on itself. The blade poked out of Zael's stomach and straight into her heart. When his body finally crumbled to the ground, Elvina let a bloody roar rip from her throat which would put the giants to shame. Her battleaxe decapitated the skeletal who was responsible, and from there, she accelerated into a rampage, killing anything and everything in sight. Her anger was bubbling from the tips of her toes, to the roots of her hair, being expressed in the whites of her knuckles and the tears that were cast away from her eyes while she fought with every last inch of her life, her feet planted in front of Zael to protect him from any other onslaught that may arise. His blood began to seep round her boots, and when her feet were redirected, the thick liquid rippled grimly in response against the blades of grass, which stood out like mountain peaks against the bloody line of clouds. Elvina wanted nothing more but to collapse next to him and wrack her brains for something, anything, to help ease the pain or stop the process altogether, but she knew that if she did, she would be joining him in his journey to the afterlife. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad. Perhaps she was grieving. No, she had to stay and fight for his honour. If he really was to.. she couldn't even think the word.. then he would not die in vain.


Meanwhile, the necromancer observed peacefully in the corner of the field. It remained motionless with the hem of it's cloak resting just above the grass, occasionally brushing the end of certain blades now and then. It had witnessed an inconceivable amount of death, yet that was not it's speciality. It's whole reason for being was to resurrect those which have fallen, and upon seeing Elvina's reaction to Zael's lethal injury, it began to glide through the battlefield effortlessly. Having no physical body made the journey smooth and painless while it floated through the bodies of the fighting, dead or alive, until it loomed down towards Zael's body, which was still coughing up a deep crimson. Again, it failed to move, but that did not mean it was not doing anything, per say. Elvina managed to steal an urgent glance behind her, and after seeing the necromancer next to her companion, she could do nothing but shout at it, as every other inch of her body was occupied with slaying the endless masses of bones which were beginning to pile up in front of her, almost creating a welcome barrier between her and the skeletons.


"Bring him back to life!" She yelled, not being ashamed in pleading mercilessly with him now. "I'll give you anything. Take whatever you want." The woman cried out to him, just after crushing a skull beneath her heal so it exploded onto the surrounding ground. At this point, in order to reach her, the skeletons had now began to physically climb over the wall of what was once their family members and dearest friends. It was a sickening thing to see, but it did manage to buy her some time between attacks. The necromancer simply angled it's hood downwards, so Elvina could only assume it was looking directly at Zael's fading expression. Slowly, ever so slowly, the blood was suffocating him began to seep back down his throat, but it wasn't moving quick enough, and sparks were still prancing from his inner workings at an alarming pace. Elvina felt compelled to give any information which may be of use.


"He's.. he's not human. He doesn't even work in the way giants do." She pressed, getting increasingly impatient. It was just as antisocial as Grimmund, only worse. Communicating with it would render to be a fruitless effort. Suddenly, Elvina snapped her gaze up to the thunder above, which was beginning to circulate around the trio, particularly the necromancer. Lightening struck directly into the chest of the thing, and with that, Zael's body convulsed, his foot beginning to manically twitch. In other circumstances, this would only panic Elvina more. But right now, anything was better than seeing him motionless. As far as she was concerned, keeping them safe was her role.

 

[Atherium]

Spectacular game of white and black... Zael noted in his mind as he struggled with the gravitational attraction of his nearly limp body being naturally pulled towards the frozen ground. The fact that, for the first time - and most probably the last - in his life, he experienced a bleeding was not even on his mind anymore. But what was? With every second, he felt something erasing, dissapearing completely into a pool of white, white that was far from his reach as he drowned in black. Time seemed to stretch ever so much, painful, hateful, and the image of the chrono-lord laughing at his demise shot before the eyes of his mind, causing his lips to pull into a mindless grin as he finally lost the battle with gravity and fell completely to the ground, twitching slightly as he felt how slowly he lost contact with all of his body. He only found strenght enough to cast a gaze towards Elvina, the girl, the companion. Now, Zael wished so much to tell her what he has experienced, the feelings that he developed towards her and everything, but it was too late, and it was all so much more painful. He was going to pass away without getting to even confess that he had any feelings.


And then suddenly his vision of her was blocked away by a dark cloth that set inbetween his gaze and Elvina. And he needed not gaze up, for he knew what it was. The vile... being, if it could be called so, that stirred all this conflict. Elvina's voice echoed in his mind as she ordered the thing to bring him back to life. But he wasn't dead. He was, indeed, slipping into it as if he was slipping into a heavy sleep after a day's lenght of hard work, and right now he felt no determination to stop himself from doing so. More and more memories were dissipating into the obsessive white until there was nothing left. Eyelids finally fell shut after the last drop of blood was drained from the body, and now only an empty carcass seemed to be lying on the ground, analyzed by the ethereal necromancer who was yet frustratingly silent, not bothering to respond to Elvina's request. It would seem it was busy with something else rather than listen to the desperate screams of the human girl that divided her attention between fighting for her own life and trying to get her gone companion back.


Not far away from the large battlefield, the two brothers were now facing each other off. Thorak seemed to have found new power, as lightning course through his body and encircled him, yet not causing him any harm. Grimund's large twisted grin seemed to enlarge unnaturally as he witnessed the fall of one of his brother's newfound friends, and his voice rose up in the air as a pestilent poison. "Look at this, brother. Your friends are dying. You cannot win this war. You could never win. Remember when we were kids and we played fighting, and you would always lose and go crying to dad because i beat you up too hard? You were never good enough, and because of you, others are dying. You're not worth the gift I have been given." He mocked continuously as Thorak tried his best to contain the anger that was engulfing him. Hjalgar rose up into the skies again, led by his hand, and in a split second, struck one of the heaviest blows to Grimund's skull, the loud sound of cracking bones resounding above the thunders and storm that was set loose.


Grimund's head now hung low into a rather unnatural position, and his spinal tap was surely broken, however, he did not fall, nor did he even lose his balance. He stood there, a sick and grim puppet whose strings were being pulled by the ethereal necromancer that was now busy with studying Zael's lying body. It would have seemed the battle was forever lost, as more skeletons and decaying corpses arrived and filled in for the countless that have already been shattered. And then was when Thorak's face turned completely dark, as if he had just thought of the worst thing since his beginnings. For that moment, he seemed as lifeless as all the soldiers around and, turning around, he ordered towards Elvina. "Get out of here. Run as fast and far as you can. And don't look back." He spoke out and watched as the girl, half- heartedly obeyed, using the advantage of her small frame to escape the encirclement and dissapear in the blizzard that was setting down. Although her heart was breaking with the loss of her companion and she did not know what she should do further on.


Thorak did not speak any longer. The skeletons and undead, having lost the girl as their target, were now redirecting towards the giant that simply stood there, simply contemplating the last moments of his own life, for he knew that he needed sacrifice to end the madness. His eyes gazed up into the disturbed sky and from there, from somewhere afar, his father nodded to him in agreement. A silent tear, unknown, made its way down the giant's frozen cheek before, just as he was being embraced by the countless skeletons, he boomed up with a battle cry and released the last words he ever would. "Fadder, valgar j asgtharvyl!"





The sky lit up in an instant and in the second, a giant lightning bold struck down from the stormy sky, hitting the ground just in the place where Thorak stood. The air was filled with the smell of smoke as everything around the giant was struck by the lightning and destroyed, erased forever. Along with Thorak. His hammer now lain in the ashes of what once was the kind giant. Smoke rose up all around the field, making sight beyond it impossible. Seconds passed, heavy, as Elvina kept gazing towards the place, hoping that she would see something, anything, But silence rose and the storm dissapeared. And it all was desolate. But suddenly, the smoke was tainted with a blurred shadow, moving wobbly towards the girl. And like a dream, like a hallucination, the so well known frame of Zael walked out. His body still bore the impaled wound, however, much smaller than it was initially. His eyes gazed at the girl and he tried to smile, but he could only do as much as let the corner of his lips rise before his body fell forth, eaten down into loss of conscience by exhaustion. It seemed that the lightning reanimated him. How strange that what brought the demise of someone, also brought life back to another.

 

[Rosie]

From behind the trees that circulated the field which bore the bodies of the fallen, Elvina peered from amongst the shielding trunks at Zael's collapsed body. Of course, her first instinct was to bolt from her place of temporary safety to him where she would.. she had no idea what she would do. For the first time, she looked to the skies in search for the deity that she had heard about since she learnt to speak. Looking back to him, the girl took a cautious step forward, not being sure if this was a trap. What had become of Grimund and the necromancer? Wide eyes darted round, scanning the area, yet they were met with nothing. Perhaps they left.. or perhaps they were watching her.. Suddenly overwhelmed with paranoia, she spun round, her hair swishing against the wind at the surrounding trees. She expected to see nothing, but instead, she was met with a rather squat looking man.. if she could call him that. His face was mangled and covered in bumpy, sickly looking skin. Grimey and dented armour adorned his tough looking body, and his remaining teeth were sharp and unwashed. From the back of his throat sounded a soft growl, rippling into the air around them. He took a rather startled jump towards her, his arms twitching at the sight of the meat on her legs beneath her dress. Right now, she would rather deal with a giant than a sick, not to mention famished, orc that had been watching her.


Backing away, she broke out into a run into the field, kicking bones aside here and there as she did. Eyes glued on Zael, she fell to her knees by his body and shook him vigorously. "Wake up!" She cried out to him, sobbing when she saw the orc beginning to sprint towards them both from yards away. Desperately turning back to him, she pounded her fist against his chest. "Wake up, you useless machine!" She let out a frustrated yell and screamed out when the orc tackled her to the ground next to his lifeless body. Straddling her now, he held her head down with his fist to her mouth and elicited a sickening war cry, glaring round him until a hoard of similar looking creatures began to emerge from the forests. Tears bubbled from Elvina's eyes, and he leaned down until his breath glittered across her cheek, making her groan in disgust. "No need to cry, I'll take care of you." He whispered, snapping his gaze to Zael, who was now being bombarded by around seven other disfigured orcs. Finally breaking her mouth away, Elvina writhed under the weight and tried to stretch her arm out towards him, her fingers grappling tantalisingly close to his shoulder, begging for some contact.


"Do what you want with me, but don't touch him." She demanded, hitting the orc's back, who responded with an aggressive spit to her cheek. Ordering his army to take Zael away, he was dragged upwards and brought back into the forest. After that, Elvina found herself not too far behind, until they reached an entrance engraved into the largest tree which was situated in the centre of the forest. On the journey there, Elvina overheard talk of "reward money", making all the pieces fall together in her mind. Her and Zael's faces must be plastered round every village in the country. This should not have come as too much of a surprise. Tears fell silently to the damp earth that lined the tunnel built into the tree, taking them deep underground. At first, hopelessness was her only thought. And yet, virtuous rage rose from within her, an emotion she was not stranger to, and the girl found herself glaring ahead. Physically, she was beaten, but mentally, she had never felt more alive. It would not end here.


On the way to their cells, hands attempted to grab at their bodies, and they were mercilessly taunted. The orc who had captured her originally snarled at them. "They're not for our consumption, keep your hands off!" Spit flew from his jaw as he yelled, and was met with a wild protest from amongst the others, complaints that they hadn't eaten for days, while others whistled at Elvina, stating that they "couldn't possibly rip something so pretty apart." The words made her sick to her stomach, but she remained silent, simply starting at the ground until she and Zael were tossed into a joint cell, the only thing separating them was a wall of bars. As soon as the door was yanked shut, Elvina shakily crawled up to the bars, reaching her arm through them so she could take Zael's hand in hers. From here, the chants and laughter of the orcs could be heard, and any slight sound made her heart jump up to her throat. Bitterly knowing this was not his fault, she still wished that they and Thorak had remained strangers. That they could have passed through and made progress. Instead, she was eagerly watching for any kind of movement from her companion in the middle of an orc's headquarters. Not to mention, she was critically dehydrated and felt absolutely ravenous.


"£6000, I swear on it! We've got £6000 worth of criminals in there." She heard her kidnapper exclaim from somewhere in the depths of the tree. "Couldn't have missed them. They arrived with a giant, and they ain't exactly small. Never seen a girl be so tall in all my life!" He continued, making Elvina cringe against the cold metal in front of her. To her surprise, another unknown voice erupted.


"Not to mention beautiful. Can we not just give them the male and keep her for ourselves?" And with that, a gaggle of cackling rose up through the grounds of the cell, and Elvina began to tremble. Visions of her being entrapped here for the rest of her life, serving those things with her body made her want to vomit, and her grip tightened on Zael's fingers.


"Wake up, please.." She whispered silently, not wanting anyone to hear her. "Please.. you can't leave me yet.." Throughout her final word, Elvina's voice shamelessly cracked and eventually broke, her forehead finding refuge against the bars.

 

[Atherium]

She cried for his return, but he couldn't hear her. He sat there, like a broken toy, with his eyes closed and no sign that he'd ever be able to wake up again. In truth, his system was just shut down for self maintenance and repair. If Elvina would pay attention, she could see how the giant gap opened within his body was slowly closing down and circuits were coming back in place. The repairing process for such a wound would normally not take more than a few hours, at the most, but given the fact that Zael was not connected to the heart any longer, the process could last way longer than that. Even weeks. So for the moment, Elvina was all alone, trapped in her cell, wishing nothing more than to have her companion back. But he could do nothing. He couldn't comfort her, nor he could hold her hand and tell her everything will be fine. The clanging of the chains adorning the armor of one of the orcs broke the moment, and the massive build of the beast appeared before the bars of the cell.


A healthy, red eye stared directly at Elvina with an insatiable desire, along with a white, dead eye. The creature's lips were moistened by saliva, and from underneath the lower one protruded two huge tusks, running straight over the upper lip. His breath was ragged and heavy, and the stench of it could down a mammoth. Stench that mixed with the less than pleasant reek of his entire body, the sweaty green skin tainted by scars and covered with the armor, armor made of a mix of fur, chainmail, plate pieces and leather, an armor effective, nonetheless. His voice came out entirely growling, but yet understandable. "Heh-heh, look what we have here... You're lost without your little friend, aren't you? The others are sleeping, and i've been assigned to taking care of you two. The royals asked for you unharmed, but i don't think they mentioned the insides as well. Oh, look..." He spoke with fake surprise as he pulled a key ring from his waist, and displayed it for Elvina to see. "You will love what i have prepared for you. Mmh, human girls are so much better than orcish ones... our women use to slit our throats while we have sex. Human females on the other hand... the fear in them arouses me more than anything else."


His hands caught the padlock of the chain that the cell door was locked with and, with a sound, the key was inserted. The lock clicked and before Elvina could even register it in the whole torment of fear that was slowly slipping into her bones, the chain fell loose and the door was opened, the orc making his way through and blocking the exit. His breathing intensified as he anticipated what was going to follow. More disgusting slobber was slipping off his lips and tainting the stone ground as he approached, his red eye seeming to shine with the burning lust that was ignited within him. And yet again, the moment stretched painfully as the brutish arms stretched to grab Elvina. The girl was helpless, having a weapon no more. The hand of fate seemed to have dealt her the worst set of cards in her whole life until...


She did not register, in the panic torment, what has happened before she saw the massive body stumble forth and collapse just next to her, with four arrows stuck deep into his back. Upon a quick glance, Elvina could see the archer standing outside of the cell, a good few feet away, with the bow drawn and ready to shoot again. A blue robe with hood covered the head of the unknown savior, but not for long. Assuring that the orc was dead for good, the hunter lowered the aim and proceeded to pull off the hood, revealing a beautiful, young girl. Her crimson hair sparked slightly in the semi-darkness, and from beneath it, two pointy ears perked up. Her eyes were a light blue, and she looked, in a way, flawless. She stood there, as if she was savoring her kill, before from not so far, a group of 3 persons appeared. Two men and another girl. All the party was dressed in the same interesting blue clothing, a sort of uniform, one could assume. One of the man wielded two elegant daggers sheathed at his waist, and the other a sword. The latter female wore a staff to her back, sign that she was a magic user.


The hunter addressed to one of the men in a strange tongue, apparently not being able to speak the common one. "Ma'eth, Valeyr, danath i lore." She spoke, and the rogue was quick to nod and head down towards Elvina. His eyes were just as blue as the elven girl's, and his hair was long, longer than Zael's, for that matter, and blond. He was shorter in stature than his companions, but that was a good help for him, given the fact that he always needed to be light on his feet, and swift. Carefully, he approached Elvina and, standing in the cell doorway, he spoke out with a soothing calm voice, as he offered his hand for the girl to help herself up. "My name is Valeyr. We are the scouting party coming from Da'Elor, one of the last elven settlements in here. You are safe now."

 

[Rosie]

As soon as the specimen entered her dingy cell, Elvina was well aware of his cruel intentions. She could read the signs- his dripping lips, the malicious lust that clouded his now dilated pupils which were heavily set upon her, contouring the shape of her dress which was now scrambling back against the wall of jagged rock, her feet slipping helplessly on the floor that was made wet by things she did not want to think of. Despite knowing what was to happen, the girl forced herself to not physically look as petrified as she felt, not wanting to excite him any further. Sparing a final glance towards Zael, her eyes scrunched tightly and she willed for him to wake up and kick down the bars that separated them. But the man remained motionless. It was from there that Elvina made the decision to not look away from him for however long this took. He was the only salvation she could muster in such degrading circumstances.


Yet suddenly, her attention was whipped away from her by the sounds of arrows flying through the air. A few seconds later, the orc's body crumbled to the ground below her, making her surroundings tremble against the sheer weight of the brute. Her wide eyes shot upwards, expecting to see yet another beast killing in order to get to her first. Instead, her body deflated when she was met with the most glorious looking woman she had ever laid her eyes on. Her face was soft, but her cheekbones looked capable of slicing someone in half. Upon them rested two rosy cheeks, not dissimilar to her own, and just above that were the feature that gave away her identity. Elvina was still being educated on the different types of species that roamed outside of Exton, and although she had heard of the Elven community, she never thought she would be able to lay her bubbling eyes on even one of them. Such graceful and tall creatures stood before her which seemed to emit their own radiance that illuminated the cell.


The man's hand was smooth and strong, yet upon slipping her trembling fingers through his, she began to hear the thunder of commotion coming from below them. The other orcs must have heard something, and were no doubt rallying troops to rid themselves of any unwelcome company. If they were to escape, they had to move fast. Meanwhile, the two female scouts were hoisting Zael up onto his feet, supporting his body which hung limply against their arms.


"We have to take him to her. Only she will know how to fix him." The magic user declared, carrying him out of the cell. Looking back to Valeyr, Elvina was hauled to her feet and enclosed by the rest of the party. The staff that the second female was holding encompassed a bright blue light around the circle that caused their hair to billow out in all directions until their surroundings had vanished. It felt as though she was hurtling through the air, but she dare not open her eyes until her feet landed with a thud against the familiar earth that lay round the tree the orc's had taken residence in. Morning light was beginning to filter through the leaves that shaded them, but they were not given time to rest or gather themselves.


"Get on the horse." Valeyr urged, swinging his leg gracefully over the pitch black stallion that proceeded to nudge Elvina's chin encouragingly. To the left of her, Zael was always slumped in front of the woman who had killed her attacker, who was keeping a tight grip to ensure he remained still. Wasting not another moment, Elvina mustered up the last dregs of her strength and hoisted herself onto the horse. And with that, they were sprinting through the forest and out into the open. From behind her, the tree began to fade into the distance until it seemed like just a bad memory. On either side of the horse stood the weaponry both her and Zael had been stripped of upon their forced arrival. If these elves were intending to kill them, then they would not spare a thought for any possibility of their prey defending themselves.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


"Welcome to the Kingdom of Seviani." Valeyr announced, his voice sounding above the gentle and theraputic clopping that the horses were making against the white patio leading to the main building. It was a slight upwards climb, but Elvina could not focus her attention on anything but the magnificance of her surroundings. The elves were the human embodiment of their home.

Spoiler

<p><a href="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_2015_06/57a8c2ccefe77_elvenkingdom.jpg.d428140895d7a28b3e3d9b0d679fe9a3.jpg" class="ipsAttachLink ipsAttachLink_image"><img data-fileid="56374" src="<fileStore.core_Attachment>/monthly_2015_06/57a8c2ccefe77_elvenkingdom.jpg.d428140895d7a28b3e3d9b0d679fe9a3.jpg" class="ipsImage ipsImage_thumbnailed" alt=""></a></p>


Upon entering the gates to the main palace, which was adorned with the most wonderful detail and precision with waterfalls crashing down on either side, there was a woman waiting at the doors which were opened to guests. Hopping off the horse, Valeyr helped the now ever so weakened girl down, keeping her steady while they made their way through to her. She was gorgeous, but she was not an elf. Studying her, Elvina correctly deduced that she was a human, or at least a creature that looked no different to that of a human. Yet if she was, what was she doing here? Her face was delicate, but her expression was a concoction of concern and relief. Meeting Elvina's awestruck gaze, the woman took a moment to examine her face, feeling as though she recognised her from somewhere. After what seemed like the longest moment, she simply released a pleasant and loving smile.


"I knew you would find me." She whispered, raising her hand to bring it through Elvina's tangled locks, which were splayed across her back and shoulder messily from the journey. "Valeyr, take her to her inside, please." With a simple nod, the elf did just that despite the girl's rather confused protests. Her mind flashed back to when her and Zael resided in the peaceful village of Exton.. the vivid dream she was tantalised with.. her mother. With a sudden realisation, she stared back at the woman who was now kneeling next to Zael at the doorway while the remaining elves looked on silently, as if not wanting to interrupt what was about to happen. Turning the corner now, Elvina felt too exhausted to comprehend what could possibly be going on. Her mind was unable to focus on anything but the sweet release of going to sleep. It was then, in Valeyr's arms, that she slipped into a deep slumber.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------


"Can you fix him?" Aleesia, the female magic wielder asked quietly, to which Elvina's mother let out a small and exasperated sigh at the sight of his wounds, which were healing at an excruciatingly slow rate.


"I can try, but he has been away from The Heart for too long. His body cannot survive under such a strain from that life source." Reaching now into the front of her dress, the woman pulled out a thin black necklace, with a glowing pendant attached to it. "I salvaged this when Vektros was under siege. I fear it may be the last remaining piece of The Heart that has not be utilised for human selfishness." She muttered to herself, ducking her head out of the necklace and slipping it over Zael's head, being sure to rest the pendant over the injury that was struggling to come together. Time passed effortlessly, but her eyes remained glued to the connection which was beginning to be formed between the wound and The Heart. It was with that, that the blood dried up and dissolved, his skin piecing itself back together at an alarmingly quick rate. All of a sudden, as if someone had just punched the air back into him, Zael convulsed, inhaling the crystal air with a splutter. Elvina's mother grinned triumphantly and pressed the back of her palm to his forehead. Despite the dramatic awakening, the man's body was not fully rested. But he was alive.


"He still needs to sleep. Take him to his room please, Aleesia." She commanded gently, rising slowly when Zael was aided round the same corner that Elvina had turned round not ten minutes ago. Her mother looked on with solemn eyes, only to be distracted by a hand that had rested on her back supportingly. Turning now, she realised it was only Syndra, the elf that had saved Elvina's life originally. In response, the woman smiled. "She must have had the dream I channeled her way." Gazing back to the corridor her daughter was resting in, she allowed a tear to roll down her smiling cheeks. "She found me."

 

[Atherium]

The first pulse of energy from the Heart coursing through him felt like rebirth. He did not realize, until then, that he was swimming into a vast, muddy and reeking darkness. And suddenly, the luminous wave of the pulse opened the way to his path back into the real plane. The sheer force of the beneficent energy pounded into his chest with heavy weight, causing him to respond with a cough just as he opened his eyes wide, wishing to see exactly what his surroundings were. But the light attacked his optics and blinded him momentarily, so that he could not see anything beyond a very vague facade that glanced towards him. The moment was short lived, as the strain took control of his body again, and so he fell into a deep slumber, unable to wake up not even when he was carried away.


He could see it clearly, right in the reach of his arm. The ultimate source of light, guarded by a field of pulsing energy. It whispered to him in a tongue that only he could decipher. Curiosity and zeal invaded him with so much power that he only found his arm stretching and his hand roaming its way to the light. The protective barrier responded to his touch and, after a brief scan of his palm, allowed for his hand to pass through, and reach into what could be the gate to infinity. Home. The warmth was quick to spread through him, and his eyes closed as he relished in the tingling sensation that was taking over his body. From the light buzzing that has installed into his mind during his contact with the light, an outworldly voice protruted, disrupting it. So soft, like the chiming of a crystal bell. The words became obvious, but they were nothing he could understand or grasp.





His bare chest rose as he drew his first breath, unconscious of the act he had just done. He never breathed before, but he did not even realize he did so just now. The vapors of the light filled dream were still playing through him. He felt something soft and moistened run across his chest, and the first sight he was greeted with as he opened his eyes was a delicate hand with slim fingers carefully running a folded, wet piece of cloth on his skin, washing it. But this wasn't Elvina's hand, as he was quick to notice, and, with a gasp, he searched with his eyes for the person who was cleaning him and, as he now registered, was singing something... something in a tongue he has never heard of before. Startled by his gasp, the hand had stopped moving and released the grip on the cloth, retracting halfway, while two of the purest blue eyes one could ever see gazed directly at Zael with a mix of apology and embarrasment. Even the perky ears that stood proud from beneath the long, blond hair, twitched ever so slightly. Zael looked upon the being and tried to understand what exactly it could be. She looked like a human girl, but those ears and the outworldly beauty were what confused him the most.


He now noticed he was almost fully undressed, save for a pair of short pants that were covering the middle-low part. He wished he could at least understand what was going on, but as soon as he tried to speak out, he realized he was about to utter words in vektrosian. So strange. Taking up one more second of silence, he decided to give it a try, again, all while the elven young girl that has been apparently asigned with taking care of him while he slept was still gazing to him with curiosity, embarassment and another mix of feelings.


"I... where am I? How long have I...?" He asked the girl, easily noticing that she barely had any idea of what he had just said. After struggling probably way too hard to decipher his words, the girl decided to give it up, and, uttering a name, she turned towards the entrance in the room. The door opened within a few seconds, revealing yet another girl, very much similar to the one currently sitting by the bedside, only she had black hair and a different facial complex. She was dressed in what Zael assumed was a thin cloth dress, so long and gentle that it swiped the floor as she moved around. A short exchange of words was made between the two, before the second one finally spoke out towards Zael, displaying a heartwarming smile. "You must be the man Lady Elvina has been brought with, right?" She spoke, her voice just as sweet and crystaline as the other girl's that, by now, was preparing to take her leave. "I apologize for Lyra, she does not speak the common tongue. You are in Seviani, the last Elven capital to exist as of now. But with the war that is about to erupt, i fear it might not be for long..." She trailed off, casting a gaze out the window for a second, all to Zael's curiosity.


"Where is Elvina?" He muttered, honestly wishing to know what has been going on with his companion. But for whatever reason, he feared for the worst response, yet he hoped he would not get it.

 

[Rosie]

Delicate glass shoes stepped across the patio that layered the ground of one of the circular sculptured buildings that aligned with the kingdom of Seiviani, and Elvina's mother paced back and forth with graceful presence round a majestic stone table. Amongst the guests were the King and Queen of Seviani, who sat at opposite ends, and the members of the Scouting Corps. The sun was in full bloom, and cast an array of magnificent shadows across their surroundings, juxtaposing with the tone of the meeting that had be called to attention.


"So war is inevitable.." The King muttered in a defeated and exhausted tone. Unusually, he had began to grow heavy bags under his eyes. Aside from this, his wife also looked downtrodden and drained. In response, Elvina's mother, who had now stopped at the head of the table looked upon the ever so quiet guests with a jaded expression. Despite this, it was clear that her mind was whirring with thousands of ideas that splashed into the pools of her mind, only to dance away before she could grasp any of them.


"Yes. If things continue the way they are now, then we will be forced to go into battle. As you know, the Elven kingdom and my people have had an alliance since the fall of Vektros. We needed to protect each other, and now we must uphold that same policy." She declared, gazing at each person individually. They looked convinced, but devastated that it had come to this. Elves were gentle and refined creatures, but it was no secret that when push came to shove, they were brutal and worthy fighters. The King, named Onas after his great grandfather, released a exasperated sigh. His eyebrows raised sceptically in the direction of the mother, who met his look with one of equal potency.


"And what about the girl, your daughter? Does your finding of her not cloud your willingness to risk your life?" Onas asked, to which she stiffened. "I am aware of the Vetroskian aspects of your existence. This gives you an advantage, but does she share the same qualities?" To this, she burdened herself with the question that she had been asking herself since she was banished from Exton almost nineteen years ago. In defeat, she shook her head, allowing tassles of brown hair to fall across her hunched shoulders. "To answer, I do not know. If she does share such power, then I am yet to see it reveal itself. That being said, she has grown up amongst humans which may mean any Vetoskian blood has been pushed downwards, flattened by her mundane routine. It is not something one can force out of another, you must understand."


Onas agreed with a tender nod, almost invisible to the human eye. "I understand. Nevertheless, Elvina and her companion, Zael, who I do believe is a Vetroskian will be needed to fight. I'm sure they would understand their efforts will be needed. But for now.." The King rose in unison with his court, who all bowed their heads in respect. ".. they must rest and gather themselves. I shall talk with them personally when their health is restored." And with that, not another word was spoken. Onas glided to his wife, who linked her arm with his and left the external building, returning to the lake from whence they came.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


"My name is Viessa. I have been assigned the task of ensuring the safety and wellbeing of Lady Elvina." The girl said in a voice that rang like church bells, turning to face the man properly. "Your companion is in the courtyard. I will show you to her now." Placing her soft hand on Zael's back, she guided him outside into the vast sunlight which illuminated the white stone in the courtyard brightly. Sitting upon one particularly large boulder was Elvina, her attention cast out towards the expanding view. She found that no matter how long she stared at it for, there was always something new to discover or notice. She wished to spend her life simply gazing out into the never ending beauty of Seviani. "Lady Elvina, your companion has awoken." Viessa called out to her. Elvina's clothes had been changed, and instead she was suited in a celestial white dress, hand woven by ancestors of the Kingdom that came before her. In addition to this, her hair and skin was clean and refreshed, much unlike Zael who's impatience overrode his need for a bath.

Spoiler

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"Zael.." Elvina's lips spread into a warm smile, and she got up to greet the man with an enthusiastically relieved hug, flinging her arms round the poor man who stumbled back a little. Viessa made her way back inside, knowing that her aid was needed no more. "I have so much to tell you." She pulled back reluctantly and ever so cautiously lowered her hands so they would rest in his, enclosing her fingers through his. "But first, please tell me that you're okay."

 

[Atherium]

The way through the large courtyard had Zael gaze around stunned by the architectural perfection the elves reached. The buildings alligned perfectly and entwined even better with the prosperous, blooming nature. Trees, wild vines, they grew harmoniously along the majestic structures. Zael felt slightly embarrassed for walking about in nothing but a pair of leather pants, which were not even the ones from his own armor, which has been already taken to a leatherworker for reinforcing and improvements. He watched as several young elven ladies passed by, throwing him different sorts of gazes. The elven males seemed to be all looking upon him with a definite superiority and, should have he been more human, he would have felt slight discomfort from it. As he walked, the girl beside him introduced herself and proceeded to speak to him of different matters. But all he was thinking about for now was Elvina.


And there she was, sitting atop a boulder carved oh so beautifully. The girl he had given his own pulse for unconditionately. and, as he now came to think, would do it again, should the moment arise. He accepted the embrace and returned it with a warmth he never thought he'd be capable of, smiling and feeling a slight sadness at the fact that it lasted for only so long. I have so much to tell you, she said, and then asked him about his condition. It felt as if he has been gone on such a long trip, one from which he thought he would never return, yet here he was, back again before this human girl that he grew fond of. And now again he remembered about what he felt about her, and about the fact he so wished to confess to her before he fell on the battlefield. It all came back to him in waves and with a shy smile, he muttered. "Yes... I have so much to tell you, too..."


With a smile, the vektrosian now found himself leading Elvina on a walk through the majestic town, with not an actual idea where they were headed, but only driven by the curiosity of seeing more of this unearthly haven. It all looked so flawless, and the people... the elves seemed to be all dressed in the richest materials and one could not make the difference properly between one with a high social statute and one that was simply a worker. As they walked through an all, both the vektrosian and the human girl found themselves exitting through the other end right into a huge square. The military square, as it seemed, since it was filled with training dummies and targets for bow practice. Both male elves and females, all dressed in shiny chainmail armor were practicing their fighting tactics with zeal and dedication, all while a fully plate armored one was passing through, from one side, to the other, inspecting with sharp eyes and eventually correcting positioning problems. The instructor. So, it seemed like the elves were seriously preparing for a war.


"What exactly happened and how did we get here?" Zael asked Elvina, just now remembering how confuse he felt, as he turned her around and took the alley back, deciding that the military square wasn't exactly the ideal place for them to be in. For now.

 

[Rosie]

The walk to the military square was tranquil, yet unusually quiet. Normally spending time with Zael was accompanied with the usual domination of her never-ending thoughts that she could not help but to vocalise, followed by questions, and then long winded answers. The two fed off of each other harmoniously and for the most part, benefited from being in each other's company. This time, however, the pair allowed themselves to simply walk in silence, admiring their ethereal surroundings that they were sure they would never get the chance of seeing again. In the small town they passed through the streets were lined with market places selling the rarest and most valuable jewels. It was here that creatures of all kinds gathered to share business, and it seemed as though elves were the cornerstone of producing luxury items, to which Elvina did not find herself in the least bit surprised. A tiny man with a beard as long as her body itself stared upwards at the two, grumbling under the breath when they passed and proceeded to rub his hairy chin and divert his attention back to the glittering rocks before him. Elvina found him to be rather odd looking, but quite sweet. Then again, if such thoughts were actually shared with the man, the woman was certain he would get the last laugh. A dwarf, he had to be. Smiling to herself, she looked ahead and decided to try and spot as many new kinda of people as she could.


Upon entering the military square, the sad reality dawned on her, and when she saw such delicate creatures like elves chanting and shooting at targets, her heart sank. The peaceful and glorious image she held of them was torn to shreds, killed by the arrow that had just penetrated the bullseye of an orcs head that was plonked on top of a tall spike. After the success, the elf that made the shot was congratulated and went to yank the arrow from it's right eye, which snapped out of it's skull in unison Zael was right in leading them away for a number of reasons. As sickening as it was to see it, Elvina wanted to learn how to do what she had just seen. For a moment, a gruesome vision of her swinging her battle axe through the pathetic body of an Orc made her lips curl upwards in a smug grin. Perhaps this was what it felt like to truly be a warrior, but in comparison to what she had witnessed, she could not have the privilege of calling herself that. Not yet anyway.


Settling down on the plush grass that lay just beneath a hunched weeping beech tree in the courtyard that steered off to the left, Elvina contemplated where exactly she could begin. Resting her back against the trunk, she peered off into the distance in deep thought. The memories troubled her.


"We were kidnapped by orcs. Ghastly looking things, you were lucky you didn't see them. Money was their motive. At that time. I thought you were dead." The girl admitted bluntly, turning to look at Zael with her brows knitted together. "I think you might have been. One of the orcs they.. took a liking to me, shall we say, but a small group of elves killed him before he could impose anything." Falling quiet now, her jaw visibly clenched at the sheer thought of her attacker. His dripping mouth, the malicious lust in his twitching eyes. "We were taken here. My mother saved you. You're not unlike each other, and she believes I hold similar powers to you both." Elvina's shoulders deflated in a mildly frustrated defeat. "I've been told that when the time is right, they will show themselves to me. But.. I remain doubtful."


Flickering her eyes to Zael, who all this time had been obediently listening, she believed that he deserved more clarification on the unconvincing matter. "She believes I am half Vetroskian, as is she." From above them, small and ever so gentle petals began to flutter down onto the grass that they sat on, resting amongst the blades that stood to attention beside their feet and legs. Elvina raised one hand and waited until one landed in her palm, admiring the process that nature had ensued for it to blossom. She wished for herself to go through the same transition. She wished to blossom into the person that her mother believed her to be.

 

[Atherium]

He listened silently while Elvina exposed the situation to him. So, as it seemed, she and her mother were halflings of his own race. How that was possible, well, he could not clearly get a grasp of it. Nobody in Vektros ever brought word of the possible existence of a middle race, something that is not Vektrosian to bone, nor human. It was so strange that he now found himself absently thinking about it, just as Elvina admired the petals, and the nature surrounding them. Not far from the two, in an arbour that looked as if it was broken from paradise itself, two elven ladies sat together. They wore beautiful red dresses, made of satin and silk, as it seemed. One of them held close to her a golden harp, and, as at a sign, her slender fingers began tenderly playing with the chords, releasing some of the beautifulest sounds the vektrosian has ever heard in his whole existence. His eyes remained locked upon the pair as the song unfolded, and as a completion, the second elf began singing in a voice that seemed like pure crystal.


Tha'e'la da'lyris


Menethor ash'yalee


Di'el sin'dor me


Astraan valyris...





The words continued flowing, but Zael was taken away, into a land of thoughts. His body instinctively tilted towards Elvina, who sat just beside him. He did not want to stop just there, and even though something inside him told him he should, he simply gave in to the rest of his will, that told him clearly that he was going to do it, no matter what. The man turned and gently lain on his back, his head coming to rest easily upon Elvina's lap, all while his eyes casted their gaze upon her. Thousands of thoughts swirled through him, words with more or less significance. The day of the arrival and the moment he met her, he recalled it all looked nearly the same. His hand came to gently rest upon one of her hands, once again, and to tug it towards him, all while he continued looking at her.


"Elvina... the moment i fell was the moment i realised that... i think I..." He mumbled, trying to the best of his abilities to contain the emotion that kept flowing, and flowing, invading him. It was even worse now than ever. "I looked at you and... and I was sad. I was sad that i'd never get to see you again. To touch you again. Losing my home, my world... it was a curse but in exchange, i gained a blessing... i know it probably sounds ridiculous, coming from a being that has been brainwashed into believing they have no feelings, all in all but I..." Oh, gods be damned, Zael, just say it at once. You can't beat around the bush like this forever, really now, a voice shouted within his mind, encouraging him, and to his surprise, it was Elvina's voice. Elvina... his inspiration. His hand, holding hers, brought it to his lips, and his lips placed a soft, gentle kiss upon her skin.


"I think i've fallen in love with you..." He finally whispered in a relieved sigh, watching carefully for any reaction that might occur upon the girl's facade. He awaited patiently for words, be them positive or negative. For anything at all, all while he tried his best to contain his emotion and nervously squirmed, setting his head as comfortable as possible into her lap.


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In the dim lit chamber, the air was ominous. On the satin sheeted bed lain a figure. Slim, lanky, wrinkled. White hair, still long and healthy as it once was, splaed across the pillow 'pon which his head was rested. His wrinkled lips parted to welcome the small flow of water that he was being given by the elven girl that was guarding at his bedside. Candles were lit at each of the four corners as the man awaited patiently for his end. His now blind and white eyes stared into the ceiling, and his breath came out shallow, and very slow. His voice, weak, hushed, came out to speak to the girl that was oh so devotedly taking care of his last moments of life. "Call... the boy. I wish to speak with him..." he said, and he let out an exhausted breath, as if the speaking act itself took away half if not more of the remnants of his life force. The girl sat up and, opening the door, told to one of the two guards outside to look for Zael, and to tell him that Taryk, the old vektrosian, wished to speak with him.

 

[Rosie]

Elvina had never heard a harp before. In fact, the closest thing she had heard to music was the rhythmic and malicious thumping of boots on the rickety floor of the Lord and Lady Pub back home. But this was something otherwordly. This whole place was bordering supernatural, and since her rather rushed arrival, she realised that she had not had time to truly take in her surroundings. It was as if they were playing just for her and her companion, who had now taken refuge on her lap. The movement surprised her in the best way possible, and naturally, her hand lowered to rest in his long, black hair, driving her fingertips through the rather unruly locks, beginning the long process of delicately untangling the strands. Elvina's eyes were a mixture of blue and green, with tiny flakes of white complimenting the wondrous concoction. She had been told that they were like looking at Earth from the moon. Such things were deemed impossible, but it did not stop the girl from believing that there was a whole universe inside of her. It was this journey that she had embarked on that had allowed that to burst from her chest.


All the while, Zael seemed to be going through some inner turmoil, the dips and curves in his face stiffened and then contracted with anxiety. In reponse, Elvina tilted her head to the side ever so slightly, bringing her palm down to the man's cheek so her thumb could run along his cheekbone comfortingly. The motion seemed to work, and when his words finally rose into the air, she watched them burst and envelope her whole body with warmth from the tips of her now curled toes, to the ends of her freshly brushed hair. Thinking back to when she took the chance to plant a simple kiss to his forehead, and his rather stale response that followed, the girl could not supress the giddy thought that he had let his feelings worm through his body, and actually accept them as his own.


"Zael-" She began, her voice coming out as barely audible, but the whimsical grin that tugged at her lips spoke volumes. She felt as though no matter what she said, her true feelings could never quite be articulated to the extent that would do her pounding heart justice. No, she would need to do something much more courageous. She had to be brave. Ever so slowly, she dipped her head down with the intention to finally seal what she had been craving since, admittedly, she saw his body washed up on the beach all those weeks ago. With one final step, her lips touched on his in a tender and perhaps almost cautious kiss. In that moment, it felt as if nothing could touch them, as if their undeniable love for each other had created some kind of forcefield round them. All of a sudden, her troubles melted away. And yet, of course, their moment had to be cut short by what Elvina now found to be an annoyingly polite voice.


"I am sorry to interrupt, but Taryk requires you company immediately." A younger girl piped up, making Elvina snap up and almost smack her head on the back of the trunk that she was sitting against. With her face resembling the complexion of a ripe and juicy tomato, she sheepishly began to toy with her hair, offering the girl a dry and blunt smile that she hoped was convincing (although part of her hoped it wasn't). Looking from her to Zael, the girl's lips quirked up into a small smile. "I am sorry for interrupting." She added on, clearly picking up on the social cue that this perhaps was not the best timing.

 

[Atherium]

He could barely contain the whole train of emotions that ran through him as he awaited eagerly a response from the girl to whom he has poured his heart out. His body was tensed like a resort and he was ready at any moment to flee the comfort of her lap should she suddenly become grim and negative. Not in a thousand years did he expect what has happened. His eyes, quick darts, noticed the motion of Elvina's head as she lowered it down towards him. He couldn't read very well what was in her eyes, but for some reason, he anticipated what was about to happen, and barely held himself back from avoiding it. It has been hard enough to show his feelings towards her, now she was taking it to the next step. But his body refused to move, and so he lain there, feeling the warmth of her soft lips upon his as she sealed their newfound love with the sacred act of a kiss. It felt like thousands of electric bolts shocking him simultaneously and causing him some more than pleasant reactions. He tingled. His skin was itchy and his lips were moist, his whole body was hot and yet he felt cold chills upon his spine. Such was the intensity of it all.


And then their kiss was suddenly broken by that strange voice, outworldly even, coming from a totally different realm from the one that he and his beloved found themselves into at that very moment. Taryk. As soon as the name has been spoken, the image of Zask, the inkeeper, flashed through Zael's mind. The old vektrosian was the one the elven girl spoke of. What was he doing there? Zael stood up eventually, but not whole heartedly, wishing he could spend more time with Elvina, who was still shocked and red in the face. Helping his lover up, Zael nodded to the elven girl who immediately turned to lead the couple towards where they, or specifically, Zael, was called. And now the vektrosian's mind was filled with all sorts of questions which he was oh so ready to shoot at the old man. He was about to meet a living legend, and that was no small thing. He only hoped that the man bore the answers that he and Elvina, who walked for now silently beside him, needed.


The two were swiftly led through numerous streets, some crowded and others as empty as possible, with the exception of some vigilent guards, tall and yet slim elves that seemed to be part of a different brood than the usual ones, who were tall as well, but looked oh so frail and delicate. And there they were, just a few minutes later, approaching the door to a small spire that was very similar to so many towers that rose into the sky in Seviani. The two stoic guards gazed upon the elven girl who in exchange nodded to them to let her pass through, and so they did. The wooden door was opened, and the silent elf led both Elvina and Zael into the mildly lighted room, where, on the bed, lain the old man, half asleep, ready to pass into the next world. His breath was now even more shallow than before and Zael could only think that, with so many breathing beings in the room at the moment, he could lose his air at any moment given.


"So... you finally arrived..." The old man's voice was heard, merely a whisper that dissipated into the air. Zael, unaware by the man's blindness, nodded silently as he approached, and finally, full of emotion, sat at the bedside, gently tugging Elvina beside him. "I sense another presence here..." Taryk sighed, before his chest rose up as he inhaled deeply into the last breaths of air he would ever take. "Yes, she is my..." Zael hastily tried explaining. "I know... very well, I do. I was your age, some time ago, too... As you can see... my strenght is slowly leaving me... soon, I will be no longer... The reason i wished to speak with you is..." The old man spoke, taking a long pause to gather strenght enough to speak again, all while Zael was slowly tensing up with the curiosity that ate him. " I suppose you know... who I am. My name is Taryk. Long ago, i was a vektrosian citizen. And yes, i know they have portrayed me as a traitor, someon who fled his own people and his own home... the truth is, they have exiled me... for daring to think beyond the limits they have put to my mind..."


Zael's eyes opened widely as he took in every word, along with Elvina. He yet did not speak anything, letting Taryk continue his story. "As long as you would like to... believe the contrary, vektrosians were really close minded... They would never accept the truth that their own race, and the human one... are just two sides of the same coin. And that they are meant to live together, and create an evolved form... Neither of the two races are perfect, not by the mile, but together..." By now, the vektrosian was already shocked enough. His eyes cast a quick glance to Elvina who, in exchange, returned the gaze. So, what Taryk meant was that Elvina and apparently, her mother, were part of a completely new breed, far better than the two races, vektrosian and human, standing alone. Zael's hand was caught by the old man's, and in his palm was placed something. Something that looked like a crystal, a strange sort of key. "Take this... It is your choice whether or not you wish to rise Vektros from the ashes... This is the key to the Heart's data library. See the truth and then..." Taryk took a long, last breath. "The decision is yours..."


The old man's body then remained limp, his hand falling upon the bed under the gazes of Zael and Elvina. The vektrosian moved his hand to Taryk's face and carefully closed his eyes, before casting a questioning gaze to Elvina. Now, he needed to know what she thought of all this.

 

[Rosie]

His bedroom was like nothing she had ever seen before, the whole place screamed wealth and riches. And yet, when she looked upon the man, who's body was slowly giving into the seductive temptation of death, she realised that no amount of money could stop the inevitable process of passing onto the next life, if that was truly what happened when one died. She figured that it might be difficult for Zael to see.. perhaps he saw himself in the gangly corpse that gasped and spluttered between words before them.. perhaps this was an insight into his future. Her thoughts now having taken a very grim and disturbing turn, Elvina was almost relieved when Taryk began to talk, despite the immense difficulty and strain it had upon his dying body. It was no wonder that he resided her during his final days, it would be an honour to die in such a wonderful place as this.


Sitting beside him now, she noticed his eyes were clouded over with a sky of murky white. Alas, the poor man was also burdened with blindness. If only he could see how well her and Zael were doing, how far they had come, and how they were going to carry on his legacy. Listening intensely now, the girl remained silent, yet the roomed remained loud with ominous concentration from everyone, who all leaned in a little closer to hear what Taryk had to say. "..but together.." It all made sense to her now, and her solemn heart went into free fall. If this man was speaking the truth, something she did not doubt for a moment, then she was neither human, not vetroskian. She was some powerful mixture of the two. But why has she been unable to access all this extra strength she supposedly held captive within her?! Surely the troubles her and her companion had faced within the past couple of weeks would have acted as a sure catalyst to cause them to just explode from her body, revealing her true nature before her mother even got a chance to look her in the eye once more. This was all too much to take in, Elvina felt as though she was going to heave. Her face was rendered pale, but not as ghastly as Taryk's, who's features had relaxed, finally free from the burden of life. It was then that death had scooped up the remnants of his soul and cradled them, casting them forth into whatever lay next for him.


"Taryk.." Elvina whispered, her eyes bubbling with despairing tears. From behind them, his loyal servant bowed her head for the final time before him, and knelt down, paying her quiet respects. Elvina had thousands of questions for the man, all of which would remain a mystery, lost in the dips and turns of her mind until the simply fizzled away into her memory. What may happen when they finally reach The Heart and unlocked the truth was unknown even to him, which is why she felt a stern need to find out, if not for herself, but to honour his final wishes. Looking to Zael now, who was already fixating his gaze on her for some kind of guidance, she answered his silent question by closing his fingers round the key, clasping her hand over his in mutual support. Her voice was understandably shallow and hushed. "Whatever you decide to do, you know I'll support you." Leaning over, she proceeded to plant a soft kiss to the corner of his downturned lips, resting her forehead on his comfortably. "I'll follow you anywhere." Elvina finalised, watching a few tears drop onto her dress.


Of course, it was her instinct to spend the next couple of days here in order to regain her strength to full capacity, before setting out to find The Heart and unlock the potential that had been caged since the war took off between humans and vetroskians. Also, now she knew that she was on some higher ground from both of those races, she could not help but to think that the only way to engage with the mastery that was entailed with such a position was to access The Heart and find out for herself if it had the same effect on her as it would on Zael. But first, she would need to discuss matters with her mother who was undoubtedly aware of Taryk's intentions for the two. Her mind was whirring amongst the stillness of the room.. would this mean they would be unable to fight in the upcoming battle that was indefinitely going to ensue? Elvina was not sure she could abandon so many people who were willing to lay down their lives for a cause that she too felt identically about. It did not seem fair.. but then again.. if she could use her newfound powers by getting to The Heart.. she and Zael could become ultimate soldiers for the elves who had taken them in without question.

 

[Atherium]

The comfort that he found in Elvina's gestures was priceless. The heavy air of the room was instantly purified by her magic which he now found to be, after confessing to loving her, even stronger. It would seem that the connection between them turned everything a clear 180 degrees, seemingly into the right direction. With Taryk dead, and with the secret unveiled, the couple knew what their next travelling destination was: The Heart. As the elves currently occupying the room were now busy with preparing Taryk's dead body for what was to follow, Zael responded to Elvina's emotional manifest by gently wiping her tears away with his thumbs. "We better go, my love. We have to know what your mother and the King is planning for us. Then we have to get to the Heart. Before it is too late."


As the two still stood in the same room, watching as the graceful elves tended to the dead man as they would to a living one, the open door's frame was filled with the form of a young elven boy, somewhere in his 13s, though, none could tell as rarely did elves look too old. The same full blue eyes as any elf's immediately pointed their gaze towards the only two living beings in the room that were not elves. The boy seemed to be in quite a bit of a struggle to speak, and as he did, it was clear that he barely knew the common tongue. "Elvina and Zael? I sent here by Thalys, armorer. Your... armors are ready. Recondition. Follow me." He spoke, much to the curiosity of the two. With a risen eyebrow, Zael took Elvina's hand in his and headed out after the elven boy who was apparently assigned to lead the two to the armory. Zael was not exactly certain how elves even had an armory and how any elf would occupy himself with creating such things. They were a crafty nation, indeed, but not exactly warlike.


As the two walked behind the elven youngster, who seemed to be oh so eager, making them hurry their pace to adjust it to his, leading them through so many streets and alleys that not even Zael's complex mind could remember which, exactly. He expected for the armory to be in a zone somewhat different from the other districts of the town, however, the glamour was not gone even there, by far. It was the trade quarter, and many shops were open in it. The armory was easily recognizable by the sword and shield of a perfect craft hanging just above the door. The young boy was quick to dart in, expecting the couple to follow him shortly, however, they remained outside a few seconds more. Only a voice made them take steps towards the entrance. "Come in." A man spoke, and Zael nodded, walking in whilst still holding onto his dear Elvina by the hand. The elven craftmaster was a good deal taller than both of them, and even though he looked a good deal stronger than other elves they have seen, he still had something... delicate about him.


"When you were brought in, I received your clothing and I have been tasked with reconditioning it. And so I did. Added some plating to your armor." He looked to Zael before showing him to a table upon which was exposed his old armor, the leather armor he has picked from Skystead. However, it now was adorned with heavy, shining plates. Zael's eyes took in the sight and he smiled in delight, much to the pleasure of the craftsman who was oh so proud of his work. "I figured you would need better protection this time, as the last one... well... they brought you with a hole through. As for you, Lady Elvina..." He nodded to Elvina before turning towards a wall upon which hung Elvina's dress, or what was Elvina's dress, now reinforced and turned into a craft for warring. "I've allowed myself to make quite a few modifications to your dress. The corset it now mail, and i've also added a mail layer on the inside. Added a few sheathes for daggers, and I've even crafted some special daggers that will quite perfectly fit in. I also reinforced your boots. Don't worry, the mail is very light, you won't be dragged down by it." He smiled as he went to pick up the dress and turned to hand it to Elvina.


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Hastily, the courier returned. His horse galloped through the gates of Seviani under the concerned gazes of citizen. His way was taken directly to the High Seat. The large doors to the throne room were opened and the courier was allowed to pass through. Curteously kneeling before the throne upon which King Onas currently sat, the courier held out his pouch towards the nearest guard. "My Lord, I come bearing news from the scouting party at the Shanis ruins." He spoke, the guard picking up the pouch and handing its content to the King. A letter rolled and secured. The King carefully unwrapped the ribbon with the sigil of the scouting party off it, before pulling it open and reading. His face was slowly being twisted by concern. Something was clearly not right.


"Gather the Council and send for Elvina and Zael." the King ordered, dispatching the courier and another man as he sat back into his throne with concern clearly reading into his eyes.

 

[Rosie]

Elvina's long fingers grasped onto the shoulders of the dress so she could hold it out in front of her, allowing her now rather dry eyes to scan over the creation. It was as if the Angel and the Devil themselves had combined, cascading round each other until they finally formed a harmonious compromise, the poise and sophistication of Heave, and the cold-blooded ruthlessness of Hell. She felt the two opposing powers radiate from the fabric itself, and when she touched it, she involuntarily inhaled, as if the power had simply taken her breath away.


"Thankyou..." Elvina replied softly, beginning to trail off when she sheepishly remembered that the craftsman remained anonymous. To that cue, he simply bowed his head, reluctant to share that information with them. The silence blanketed the room, and the man gazed down at his shoes for a moment, his blonde hair fluttering down past his shoulders.


"I am sorry, Lady Elvina. Times are uncertain, and many people are choosing to remain nameless to protect generations of their families. If we die during the war, my identity will be revealed and my family will be tracked down, surely to meet the same fate as me." His voice portrayed a sudden heaviness, but his posture remained upright and stylish, as if he had been born that way. "It is for that reason, that these are the last two pieces of armour I shall make. Any traces of my name must be eradicated, including this business. I hope you understand that it is nothing personal, to either of you." The man assured, staring between the two with his features tensed with anticipation of their response. Within them, Elvina could see his family preparing for the brutal consequences of war. For the inevitable death of their parents. Yes, she understood perfectly. With a profuse nod, the action reassured him that she would not question him any further. The gravity of war was upon everyone, and it was not up to neither her or Zael to dictate how others should protect themselves. And with that, the elf's expression uplifted, and he nodded to the dress. "Would you care to try it on?" There was nothing Elvina would love more. Being shown to rooms on opposite sides of the shop, Elvina and Zael parted ways.


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Fignernails tinkered across the gleaming armour, beginning their ascent to Zael's shoulder so her knuckles just about brushed past his black locks of hair. The craftsman had departed the room not long after they went to change for the sake of privacy. The lovers had met in the middle of the room, cushioned by a silence that both were resistant to break. Elvina's eyes scanned across the decoration that besotted his chest, until they finally rose to meet his. They did not have to speak to know what either one of them was thinking. They both looked the part, but the reality was crushing. It was unlikely that either of them were to survive. Moving now, the girl wrapped her arms round her partner's neck so they become locked in a tight embrace, almost as if it was the last time they were going to see each other again. She had almost lost him once, and the thought of losing him indefinitely was unfathomable.


"Promise me you'll take care of yourself." She hated to go against the tranquility, but she had to ensure he was going to put himself first. They didn't have a particularly good track record for easy travelling, so it was common sense that their journey to The Heart was going to be demanding, and she liked to think they were more invincible than they really were. Pulling back, Elvina cupped the man's head in her hands and forced his gaze to stay fixed on her. "Zael, I need you to promise me. As it stands right now, you're more capable than I am, so I want you to remember that and make decisions based on that. If not for you, then for me." Her lips matched his, and when they eventually peeled away, she uttered out a word that, admittedly, was not a usual part of her vocabulary. "Please, Zael."

 

[Atherium]

The armor, it felt so light against him despite the rather thick metal plates that were covering the gentle leather it was initially made of. If only Martha would have seen what has been made out of her work. And now, Zael's only question was where exactly was his sword and Elvina's axe? The question irked him for a moment as he came out into the main room again, but, as he faced his beloved, it suddenly dissapeared, vanished as if charmed away by a powerful, ancient magic. She looked striking, to say the least, and as she closed in the distance with him, he couldn't help but observe the concern that was clearly written on her face. She embraced him as if both were going to depart far away from each other, never to return. She held him close, and asked him to promise her he will be taking care of himself. She looked into his eyes and almost forced him to promise that, should death arise, he will disregard her and save himself, for her sake.


How could she ask such of him? He tried grasping the idea, but it eluded him like a phantom and dissapeared into the storm of thoughts that arose. No, she couldn't be seriously asking this of him. She sealed her plead with a kiss, and when finally ending the kiss, her eyes have turned even darker as she uttered the ultimate plea. No. She was being serious, but he couldn't. "What... what would I mean alive if you are dead? We're in this together... we walked out of Exton together, we witnessed our homes being ravaged, we've seen our own people being brutally eradicated. You cannot ask me such. I can't leave you behind. I can't, and I don't want to. Neither of us will die, but my body shall shield yours throughout it all. You have done too much for me, my love. You have shown me what the truth is and you have gifted me with a beautiful feeling that blooms within me with each second I look into your eyes. I can't let you die."


He never lost eye contact with her as he spoke. His hands rested in firm grips upon her waist, as if to prevent her from moving even a single inch away from him. Continuously, he looked her in the eyes even after falling into silence, gazes speaking the other thousands of words that were not uttered. No. Elvina was not going to die just so he could live. This was not the way it should be, and even though he knew how stubborn Elvina was, he was not going to give in to her pleas. He simply responded to her by yet again closing in the distance between their lips and placing another gentle, meaningful kiss upon hers. He felt electrified by it, and it seemed that she functioned like a true source of energy to him, electrifying him only by her blessed touch. He wished they could only sit there, in Seviani, under the tree that witnessed their first kiss, listening to the elven girls sing their mesmerizing tunes.


In silence, the pair's hands were again caught with each other, Zael being the one to first turn towards the door. The elven smith seemed to have vanished, not returning as he left them in intimacy. So bad that the vektrosian couldn't thank him. Zael took a step towards the door, but as his foot set on the floor, he stopped. A slender form now blocked the door, and full blue eyes pierced the air, gazing straight towards him. The strange shimmering of a blade was all that he could notice, before the voice struck out in that mere second. "Oh, so glad you are still here. My master has sent me to retrieve your weapons, I'm terribly sorry for the delay." It was the elven boy, apparently, the blacksmith's apprentice. Zael's sword was handed to him, and so was Elvina's axe, along with the small yet, by the looks of it, extremely efficient daggers she had been gifted.


"They are twin blades, M'Lady. Careful how you grip them in combat, they are so finely sharp they can cut through your hand in an instant. I suggest you use them for throwing. Whichever point ends towards the enemy, he's still going to have a bad time." The elven boy concluded with a delighted grin before rushing past the two, onto the next assignment the smith has given him. With the weapons now at rest, the sword against Zael's back and the axe against Elvina's, the two now made their way out of the shop, and back again onto the streets. Rumour was slowly spreading through town, and Zael could notice elves whispering to each other, talking to each other in small circles meant to keep the outsiders out. It seemed that everyone was foreseeing the war to come.


"Um... excuse me..." A voice made itself known from behind. The vektrosian was the first to turn, thus turning Elvina as well, as she was still holding onto his hand. Yet another elven man now stood before them, and he was quick to his words. "His Grace, King Onas, requests your presence immediately. Do follow me." He said in a high accent before turning around, keeping his perfect upright position as he led the two towards the district where the King's Castle was erected.


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There must have been at least 100 royal guards aligned on both sides of the path that led towards the tremendous doors of the Castle. They all stood there, stoic, not willing to even move their gaze away from the exact point they have been fixing eversince they set on. Their shields, bearing the emblem of Seviani, were proudly held, ready to protect them should a fight errupt. The elf led both Elvina and Zael upon the path, and, as the trio finally stepped through the huge door, both Zael and Elvina couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the giant construction. So much luxury. The assigned man proceeded to take the two through immense corridors and stairs, until they finally came upon the door to the Council Room. The room where the King and his Council and advisors met to discuss important matters. Silence befell the scenery as the trio made their way in, being greeted by the King and the Queen, along with Elvina's mother and many other faces.


"So glad you could join us, Zael, Elvina." the King spoke out loud as all the men and women at the long table in the middle of the room stood to greet the couple, before sitting down again. "Please, have a seat." The King encouraged them, and, after taking their proper seats which were right at Elvina's mother's side, the discussion began with the King briefing everyone upon what information he had. "The courier arrived today with news from the scouting party at the Shanis Ruins. Apparently, King Tharvas is dead. They witnessed the funeral procession. That can only mean one thing. The men that controlled him thus far are now in control. And that is nothing near good. I also have the name of the leader. General Theodor "The Bloodseeker" Bane. He has been given the name by those who witnessed his bloodthirst on the numerous battlefields he marched upon. Children, women, elders, they have all fallen before his cruel blade, and if only that would have been all..." Onas trailed off before one of the councilmen asked with curiosity. "So, my Lord, what shall we do then?"


Indeed, a legitimate question. Zael's mind was also set on thinking about a solution to this tremendous problem. The general seemed to have been a dangerous man eversince, and he was, in a way, the accurate vektrosian depiction of a human. But now, with the powers acquired from the Heart, Zael could only wonder how much stronger he was. "Seviani is, for now, shielded away from sight by the arcane barrier upheld by Magistrix Kaeona's apprentices. However, further security measures must be taken. We must speak to the Stone Giants to help us secure the Therenar pass." King Onas spoke as he threw a gaze towards one particular elf who sat and listened. Whoever, hearing the words, he immediately rushed to intervene. "But, my Lord, the Stone Giants are a difficult kind to deal with. They are stubborn." "Well..." King Onas replied. "That is why I named you Ambassador, right? You're the best word twister, so find a solution, Anaster." The situation seemed to slowly tense up, as the King was apparently getting more and more nervous.


"They wish the dwarves to retreat from the mines at Kal'Dathir, as they are disrupting the spawning process of new Stone Giants, my Lord." Anaster replied, looking towards King Onas, who in returned looked towards one particular person at the long table. Short, almost stubby, with a beard covering the chestplate of his armor. Black, thick and long hair adorned his head, and small eyes gazed back to the King before the little man, a dwarf, stood up. "No way I'm taking me men out of them mines! They need to be feedin' children too!" The dwarf stubbornly opposed what Ambassador Anaster said was the request of the stone giants. However, by this point, the King seemed to have reached a point from which he would not retreat. "Thorvald, I am ordering you to retreat your men from the Kal'Dathir mines, or else our allegiance is over! These are rough times, we cannot stumble into our own pride. " "Fine, fine, so I shall." Thorvald replied just like a child angried at his parents, before standing from his chair and leaving the room, under the collective gazes of everyone at the table.


"Elvina, Zael." The King called out to the two as he shifted his attention to them. "I would personally like to thank you for the service to this world. You are our only chance, and we are going to be here to protect you. As you probably know, you must travel to the Heart. If the Bloodseeker marches upon Seviani, our armies can hold him back for a little while. You will take a special ship to sail off to Aldurath, to find the Heart. You must not, at any cost, look back. Tonight we will hold a feast in your honor, and tomorrow morning at the first hour, you will get aboard the ship. Understand that we cannot risk losing any of you two." The King spoke in a grave tone, and, as much as he wished, Zael could not oppose his logic. If they were to be successful, they had to get as far away from the Bloodseeker as possible.

 

[Rosie]

It seemed as though war was taking a toll on everyone, not just those close by. In times such as these it was important to remember secondary effects. It was important to remember the anonymous craftsman who was willing to burn his work to the ground to save his family. It was important to remember the dwarves who were to give up their jobs to fight. To fight for her and Zael. To fight for The Heart and what it could bring. All of a sudden, the weight became unbearably heavy upon her plated shoulders. If they were to fail.. what would become of all the lives lost? Elvina's throat closed up at the mere thought of it. She could see the burden twisting and forming in front of her into a figure in itself that clasped her neck in it's iron fist and shoved her against the wall that stood to her left. It was whispering doubts into her ear, making her question everything.


Failure was not an option. At a painstakingly slow pace, the black fist eased round her neck, allowing her a few desperate gasps of air. During all this time, her body had not moved. She remained glued to the spot next to Zael, her eyes trained on the King. The last thing she wanted was for the hood of her doubts to fall down and reveal that it was him all along. His scepticism was tangible. He was an elf of regal status. She was a human girl. Once again, the fist tightened. Sweating now, her fingernails scratched against her neck perhaps a little too hard. It was a tactful move. Focussing in on the pain, she allowed the adrenaline to override her worries and opened her mouth, something that was not often connected to her brain. "If your mouth knew your brain existed, they would hate each other." Was something her father used to relentlessly say until she could recite it back with a bored roll of her eyes.


"We won't let you down. If you are willing to risk the whole Kingdom, then I cannot think of anything more worthy to fight for."


From next to the King her mother swelled with pride, and proceeded to make her way down to her finally found daughter to enclose her in a lasting and warm hug. Elvina held on as tight as she could. There was nothing sweeter than the bond between a mother and child. Turning to Zael now, her mother looked over him with high spirits. Doing the same to him, she took the moment to speak softly against his ear, showing him that these words were for him, and only him. "Take care of her, but do not underestimate her. She is stronger than she knows."


Standing back as if no words had been shared, she slipped her arm round Elvina which was met with a typical embarrassed teenage groan.


"Mother, please.." Her cheeks and ears reddened, but her mother simply ignored such responses and planted a loving kiss to her cheek.


"Come, we can prepare for the feast together." Her mother suggested with her fingers now lacing with that of Elvina's, who gave a meek and apologetic wave to Zael before being dragged from the room.


-------------------------------


Ever since the opportunity had presented itself to her, Elvina utilised every moment to dress up. In the cool and crisp mornings when the servants would dress her, she dare not open her eyes for fear of ruining the surprise that would be her dress for today. Instead, she decided to savour the moment, and look upon herself in the mirror that was propped up betwix the two wide windows, each adorned with billowing silk curtains. Elvina could not imagine her father approving of such pleasures. His eyes, as green as freshly watered grass in the summer, looked over her disdainfully. If he was alive to see her, he would have nothing good to say. Luxuries like these were inherently frowned upon in Exton, but as the woman had left that wretched place and grown into herself, she found herself unwilling to burden her mind with aged traditions. When the town burnt, they collapsed with it.


"You know, your father was certain that you were going to end up like him. Small and chubby. But no.." Her mother mused, her head tilted with gentle concentration while braids formed in Elvina's hair. Her mother's locks were never seen out of plaits, and so her fingers weaved her daughter's hair with effortless ease. The comment elicited a burst of laughter from the girl who immediately began to toy with the loose strands that fell against her rosy cheeks. ".. he is still visible in your mannerisms, though. You have his enthusiasm, also." Her mother trailed off with an absent minded smile which forced Elvina to meet her eyes in the mirror she was sat in front of.


"Do you miss him?" She asked abruptly, shaking the calm silence that had covered them like a warm blanket. Nevertheless, she had to know, or rather, she had to confirm her assumptions.


"Yes. I miss him. It was not my choice to leave." Elvina gave a small nod, one that was barely noticeable without a more extreme concentration. Her mother lay her plait to rest across her left shoulder, and Elvina admired it with satisfaction. She knew her mother would never leave without good reason. She was also certain that Ascot was to blame. The wretched man disembowelled her whole life, but she was beginning to regain what was lost. "Zael cares for you greatly." Her mother added on while zipping up the back of her child's dress. To this, Elvina involuntarily blushed. The blood rushed through the veins on her cheeks like paint on a canvas.


"And I care for him. And he tolerates my sarcasm." Elvina replied proudly. Rising to stand as an equal to her mother, she pressed a tiny kiss to her forehead. "We will be late for the feast, and I wouldn't want Zael to enter alone." She could invision his reaction to her dress even now, and the daydream simply deepened what was a hazy pink on her face. Elvina wished she could not blush. Life would be a large degree easier.


-----------------------------------------


When the grand doors opened, the only thing Elvina could describe the sight that ensued.. was chaos. The Kingdom of Sevnai had been transformed into an excitable mess complied of creatures she had only hoped to lay eyes on. From above fairies whizzed round her head, their pins for arms working together to create a chain of flowers that glittered against the candlelit chandelier which swung cheerfully above them, as if it knew of their importance and rejoiced upon their entry. The flowers were carefully lowered and placed atop of her head, the entwined stems hugging individual strands of hair so it rested comfortably. Rushing down to greet her now, the four fairies hovered in sight of the couple. Each of them was of a differing colour, from a dark and crimson red to an aqua blue, as if she had just been plucked straight from the ocean. They wished them good luck on their journey, not forgetting to powder Zael's broad shoulders with fairy dust before jetting off to socialise. Elvina had assumed they would be sociable creatures.


Gazing ever so slightly downwards now while the two made their way through the Great Hall, the two were welcomed with roars of compassion, not to mention gallons of wine that were forced into the grip of their bashful fingers. Elvina barely heard herself think, but that was what she wanted. She did not want to think. The Heart was the only thought that troubled her, and she was certain that a full night of alcohol soaked distraction would cure her of her consistent pondering.


Come to think of it, the layout of the Hall was distraction enough. A stone staircase corkscrewed it's way unforgivingly through the centre to which a second level lay upon it's grandeur, inhabited by yet more guests who were raising their various glasses when noticing their arrival. Surrounding this, the whole building they were in was a marble monster that dominated the whole Kingdom. Even when her and Zael first arrived they were not taken here. It lay just adjacent to the castle in order to tempt her curious mind, but such wonder was unable to be satisfied. Not up until this point. Just by existing, by simply taking up space, the legacy of this building reigned over her bones. Yes, this was the house of champions.


Ahead of them was what she had been unashamedly waiting for- the feast. Approaching it now, the couple had managed to work their way through the vastness in an impressive time. Their seats were shown to them by one of the servants, a younger elven girl who could not have been older than 16. Then again, even a fool could recognise that Elves did not age in the same way humans, or even Vetroskians for the matter, did. They were a timeless race. All so tall and slender. All so soft to see and gracious to interact with. Never had Elvina witnessed such flawless beings, never again would she need to.


Sitting in the marble chair, the patterns of the stone dashing back and forth across it like the veins in a mortal's body, Elvina brushed the skirt of her dress down, and watched, salivating while food was piled up on her plate. Roast potatoes, every meat you could imagine marinated in the most wonderful textures, trifle that towered higher than her head, just to name a few. Everything looked too delicious to eat, but she was certain she could gulp it all down. After all, her and Zael would need their strength for their early leave tomorrow. Beginning now to chomp down on a potato (also sheepishly realising she had yet to say a word since sitting), a band of dwarves situated at the back of the hall caught her eager eyes. Her mission for the night was to get Zael up on his feet and dancing.

 

[Atherium]

The embrace he received from Elvina's mother, a woman that apparently had no name, or more likely, had not been addressed to, was something different from Elvina's. While he felt that strange buzz within the young girl, he felt a whole wall of power coming from her mother, and it seemed like it somehow was transferred into him only by mere touch. It could have been just a simple feeling, one that he imagined given the apparently high position she occupied, but he was certain she was at least half vektrosian. And then she whispered those words to him, as if it was a grand secret. He tried his best to contain any reaction to it, however, and only let loose an understanding smile before he was released so that the mother could again approach Elvina, and apparently, snatch her away from him, not leaving them to even say a word to each other before she disappeared through the large door. And here he was, apparently invited along with Elvina at a celebration. He honestly had not an idea what was it all about. With a reverence in the general direction of the King, Zael retreated from the room somewhat hastily, in hopes that he might catch Elvina and her mother, somewhere.


About ten minutes later, the vektrosian found himself wandering aimless throughout the streets of the Market District, gazing about at the various merchandise exposed. What intrigued him most was the mix of strange races that was gathered there, coming from all the corners of the world. His eyes were caught by a slender, tall figure, with pointy ears and long, black hair. The curvaceous body along with the strange eyes through which seemed to shine the night itself, was of a female elf. But she was not an elf like every other. Her skin was dark, almost with a light tint of blue. On the wooden display table she stood behind were different vials containing strangely colored liquids. Zael's curiosity attracted him closer like a night butterfly is attracted to the source of light. His hand, encased in the lightly plated glove reached out hypnotically to pick up one of the vials, apparently at random, when an intriguing feminine voice woke him up to reality. "One drop of my special aphrodisiac and your lover will not want to get out of the bed for two days, charming." The strange elf spoke, attracting the gaze of Zael up towards her.


"Um... excuse me?" The vektrosian asked, taken aback by what he had just heard and mostly, by the tone the words were uttered with. It was strangely sensual, almost uncomfortably so. "You were reaching for my special love concoction. It's an ancient recipe passed from mother to daughter in our family for generations. Would you like to try it, maybe?" She said, displaying what could only be called an enticing, luscious grin, her incredibly dark eyes sparkling as she gazed the vektrosian in the eye, causing him to immediately retract his hand and try as much as possible to take an unaffected stance. "No, no, at least not now." He uttered with his best fake of a chuckle as he managed to set his gaze away from the elf that was obviously a seductress in her spare time. Or an assassin, he thought as he noticed the two strange daggers sheathed at the sides of her hips. With a nod of his head, Zael slowly stepped away, deciding not to waste a single moment more with her. Elvina could appear anytime and this would be quite hard to explain. His eyes now wandered upon other merchants. Another strange vendor was what he could only describe as a horse with an upper human body attached to it. And then was when he recalled reading in one of the history books found through the numerous libraries of Vektros about the Centauri, a strange race that apparently had no roots, at least, no roots that any historian was able to find.


The centaur here sold a vast assortment of bows and quivers, along with crossbows and other ranged weapons. Deeming it not worth gazing closer upon, the vektrosian turned his gaze to the next vendor, and stopped in his track for the second in which he caught in sight the being. Long, complex and majestic antlers that rose perhaps a bit too high. He found himself staring at what looked like a man, or more likely, a stag that was perfectly standing upright, on two legs. Was it a hallucination? Apparently not, it was all too real considering that the strange, outworldly being just finished striking a bargain with an elf who was now leaving the stand with what looked like a beautifully crafted small statue. Placing the golden coins he received into his coin purse, the odd looking stag man now awaited his next customer. But just about the moment in which Zael took a step to head in the direction of the vendor, a voice caused him to stop in his way and turn to look. A dwarf, much similar to Thorvald from the council room, beckoned him towards his stand upon which were exposed hundreds of jewelry pieces, from necklaces to rings, to diamonds of all sorts.


"Hey lad." The dwarf spoke as Zael approached more than curious. "Listen. I know who ye be and I know ye have a darlin'. Word travels fast 'round these parts 'ere, and I just wanted to thank you fer yer heroism. Ye love the gal, aye? When ye feel the time is right, give her..." He paused as he took his hand under the wooden table, before taking out a small box. "This. 'tis a rare gem of a ring, and she will surely love it. Now, go along, ye don't want her to catch ye red handed, would ye?" The dwarf smiled under his beard before returning to his business, leaving a more than confused Zael to walk away from the stand, all while he gazed at the strange, small box. He had heard of marriage before, but now he thought, wouldn't it be too early for such, now?


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And there they were, having met a few minutes before the festivities have officially been opened. After the strange scene where he received a ring from the dwarven merchant, Zael had been wandering the streets for longer, until a specially assigned person has taken him to prepare for the feast. And the etiquette required that he will accompany his lover at the ceremony dressed adequately, in the armor, just like a knight. Having never been to such an event, as they weren't organised back in Vektros, Zael did not find it any different, but accepted that he would stay down while a young elven boy took care of polishing the plating of his armor. He wished he could at least ask what he was supposed to do that night as to not embarrass himself, but he felt embarrassed to ask about it in the first place. It would all be alright. Then as the evening fell, he was finally approaching the Ceremonial Hall. And there she was, adorned with a dress that was broken away from what could only be an ethereal realm. The girl was shining, and his eyes were involuntarily fixed upon her from the moment he started ascending the multiple stairs towards her.


Finding himself standing before her, he gazed her into the eyes and let off the most sincere of smiles as he took her hand at first, before raising it gently to his lips and kissing it. His jet black hair was neatly arranged, crowning his head like wild vines, yet ordered in such a way it did not look messy, at all. Silent words were exchanged between the two as they stepped into the hall, greeted immediately by the small, cheerful faeries. There was so much magic in all the place, especially astonishing being the fact that the grand soiree was also extended in the streets. The Hall was designed to house thousands of guests, but there were thousands more that did not have a place in. However, the King allowed the streets to be used by the citizens to celebrate, and the city filled with grandeur was turned into an extension for the Grand Hall.


As they stepped through the Hall, having adopted the traditional arm in arm style of walking, they were cheered for, and glasses of wine were being raised, along with tankards of ale, the latter being the only drink that dwarves enjoyed. And this night, there were a lot of dwarves in the Hall. The two sat at the table, in a place that was almost in the middle. As the tradition was, the King was seated in his special throne, along with his queen, right at his side, in the end of the hall, but in a spot a little higher than the rest of the folk. He did not utter a word, instead, his glass of wine was silently raised, gesture that signified that the celebration could begin. The band of dwarves that was assigned with playing music for the night, was quick to pick up their instruments, and a cheerful song began. Zael was by now already busy with answering questions raised by the curious elves that sat at the table near him, having begun to talk to them about what he recalled of his homeland. However, he was careful to pay attention to his beloved as well, all while she began eating.


For this one time, the vektrosian decided to leave aside the thoughts about what possibly could happen to his body, and gulped down his first glass of wine under the rather amused and encouraging gazes of the elves. "You drink like a dwarf, if anything." An elven lady told him as she laughed softly, as the cup bearer appeared seemingly out of nowhere to fill Zael's glass again. The latter rose it in the same time the elves had, before carefully taking a taste of the second glass of wine. He smiled as the drink gave him only pleasure in the taste. Zael threw his gaze across the Hall to see that the group of dwarves that were gathered at another tables have already gone into their usual mood. One of the bearded shorties was merrily dancing on the table, having pushed lots of empty plates away, all while the others were cheering and clapping around him. And, uptight as the elves seemed to be, they were nothing but entertained by the cheerful spirits. However, Zael's mind was mostly focused on Elvina, and he couldn't wait for her to finish eating so he could spend his time with her. The small box within which lain the ring nudged him in the side as he carefully hidden it somewhere under his armor.

 

[Rosie]

Watching the dwarves stamp and clap on the table just to the left of them only fuelled Elvina's want to see Zael do the same. Tomorrow was the beginning of a treacherous journey, and she had never seem him really cut loose or have simple fun. She also feared that tonight may be her last opportunity to engage him in such things. Nevertheless, her mind was darting between images of Zael clumsily climbing up onto the table, and the trifle that was now towering on her plate. Deserts were an unfamiliar dish to her, and the girl ended up wolfing it down as if she had not eaten in days. It certainly felt that way. Her stomach was desperately beckoning for more food, letting out disgruntled grumbles now and then to signal that it wasn't done just yet. From across the table, the King admired her courage with a small quirk of his plump lips.


"You have you Father's appetite, I presume?" He asked softly with a perfectly sculpted eyebrow almost reaching his temples. To that, Elvina sheepishly slowed down and forced the unchewed food down her throat with a wince that she covered surprisingly well. Despite her cautious manner, she proceeded to shake her head.


"No, your Majesty. I believe I share that trait with my Mother." Elvina replied with a heart grin, the piles of food filling her to the brim with warmth and fullness that exploded with satisfaction. Ah yes, she felt almost content. From next to the King, her Mother gasped, but could not bring herself to deny the claim.


"She's right. I apologise if she exhibits any off-putting behaviour." Her Mother replied, her words being met with a gentle and amused smile by the King. He did not seem to care less, and even encouraged everyone to eat more. Standing now, he tapped his fork on his goblet of wine and gazed out among the guests who poured their attention over his presence. The room fell silent for a few seconds before the King's voice boomed out into the hall.


"Beloved guests, thank you for joining me here in the Kingdom of Seviani this evening, where the food never stops and the wine always flows-"


"And the beer!" A rather podgy looking dwarf drunkenly yelled out from the corner of the room. His chubby body was sitting on a barrel of the stuff with his legs swinging back and forth, his feet barely touching the ground. His sides wobbled now and then while he tried to regain his balance. King Onas raised his glass in his direction.


"Of course, and the beer, lest we forget. Eat, drink, be merry. Tonight we celebrate the beginning of freedom. Look to it with certainty, my friends." And with that, the whole Hall escalated into ear shattering applause and cheering that made the even the walls shake with excitement and anticipation. Elvina could feel it resonate through her body and she became momentarily restless with the intensity of it all. After finishing her three courses, she felt fit to burst, it was then that she decided she had never felt such a pleasing feeling. But then again, her mind debated whether that was the truth. The moment her and Zael shared their first kiss, something that had been building for what felt like a lifetime. Changing her mind now, the Elvina knew with absolute certainty that even the success of their task would never amount to the same feeling the had when the two shared that embrace. Looking now to her beloved next to her, who was determinedly gulping down the remnants of a drink she could not think to recognise, her lips began to spread into charmed grin. It seemed as though he was fitting in nicely.


"Chug it back till ye land on ye back!" A small group of dwarves were chanting around him, banging their balled fists on the table in front of him with roaring enthusiasm. Just in front of Zael lay what looked to be six other goblets, some rolling back and forth on their side, while others stood upright to stop the moving ones from dropping off the table and straight onto the floor. Elvina could not see anything good coming from this. If she had learnt anything, it was that dwarves, although small and charming, were exceptionally bad influences. She did not doubt that they were simply made from beer itself. It was all they seemed to drink or think about.


"Okay, I think he's had enough.." Elvina intervened, lowering his eighth goblet back down from his wet lips. To this, Zael's new companions were mightily disappointed, jeering about how he seemed "perfectly merry" to them. From her point of view, Zael was visibly swaying in his seat, and her hand rested upon his back to keep him steady. "How about you show us how to dance?" Elvina asked, having to raise her voice to be heard amongst the bubbly racket that was sounding from every inch of the room.


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"Dancin ain't somethin that can be taught, ma'am. Ya gotta feel it in ya bones, ya hear me?" The dwarf who was still rocking back and forth on the barrel declared to her, standing up on it now so he could almost look her in the eye. His bright ginger beard was dripping with beer, and he smelt like apples and smoke. A pleasantly wonderful concoction. From behind him, a total of six dwarves very stampeding on the table with the feet clattering about merrily, all of them shouting and screaming happily while beer spills all over their boots from their iron cups. Elvina so wanted to be part of that, and so without further ado, she grabbed Zael's hand and dragged him up onto the bench which allowed them to step up and join in. They were met with manic welcomes and were instantly thrust into the middle of it all. The dwarf was right, she didn't even have to think about it, her feet moved on their own, her body joining along with them. Taking Zael's other hand, he began to mirror her actions and eventually ended up spinning her under his arm until clasping her body back against his with the widest and most sincere grin she had ever seen in her life.


"There ye go!" The drunken dwarf yelled out from his wobbly position and clapped along in time so they had beat to dance to. The music seemed to be getting louder, more intense, and each of the dwarves took a turn to dance with her despite barely being able to reach her waist. It was the most genuine fun she had ever experienced, and Zael's flushed cheeks and rosy smile said the same. When the music finally burned away (the musicians insisted that they were unable to play unless rehydrated with at least four fresh caskets of beer), Elvina spun back into Zael and wrapped her arms round his neck in a vivacious manner.


"You were wonderful!" She exclaimed and then pressed her lips to his in a rather poorly thought out and hazy kiss. Neither of them could think to care. They were both care free and full of life in that moment that they did not even notice the whistling and mocking that their shorter friends were hollering their way.

 

[Atherium]

The world around was slightly swaying as he stood, but with great self control managed to walk along as if nothing was going on. He noticed the gazes of everyone, including the King and Queen as he was now almost forced into the rhythm of the music, and found himself thoroughly enjoying it. The dwarves seemed all the happier seeing as they have managed to corrupt the vektrosian into their dance, and Zael watched as they took turns at dancing with Elvina, and some even with him, much to the amusement of the crowd who cheered and fell also into the rhythm of the music. A fine night it promised to be, and, as soon as the music was stopped for the musicians to have time to down a few good ounces of ale, Zael was found hastily pulled against Elvina and enjoying her sweet and rather short kiss. His grin extended as he took a moment to look in the eyes of his beloved, and he felt so alive being there, next to her. From a table where dwarves sat amongst elves, a mixed group that was funny due to the fact that the elves stood no chance at drinking more than the stubby dwarves, resulting in them being already wasted from so much drink, a certain dwarf, the merchant that handed Zael the little box with the ring made a silent sign for the vektrosian, letting him know that this was a time as good as ever to officially seal the relationship between them.


But would it be a good time, indeed? Zael pondered all while he tried to seem not so strange about it all. There has only been so long since they have confessed their feelings to each other, so marriage was... too early? However, given the fact that the very next day they were to embark on a journey they didn't know if they would come back from... He found it hard to decide, but it weighted too much on him. Hell, he wasn't even accustomed to the rituals associated to marriage, so how would he even ask her? There had to be something, anything that was necessary to be done. But the small box nudged him so annoyingly in the side, and now he could even strangely feel it heaten up, as if it was asking him to take it out and reveal it to Elvina. Fixing his gaze again on her beautiful eyes, he remained pondering for a minute or two longer, getting himself lost in the universe found within her. If they did come out alive from what they were going to go through, marriage could be done after, but what if they didn't? What if he didn't? He knew that despite Elvina's plea that in case of danger, he will watch out for himself, he would all but throw himself in front of the death just to save her.


But this was not the time, he finally concluded. He wanted the moment to be a moment just between them, just as the moment when they confessed their love to each another. And so, he simply leaned in closer to her and returned her earlier kiss with his own, however, this time he let their lips sealed together for a longer time, eventually turning the innocent peck of a kiss into a deeper one, embracing his lover closer to him as he felt the need for this. When their lips finally parted ways, his own mimicked a silent "I love you." before he let Elvina go, grabbing the first pint of ale in his reach. To this, the dwarves responded with loud cheering, all while the music resounded again loudly, the musicians having had their drinks and now being rehydrated and forceful in their play. It did not take much for Zael to down the whole pint of dwarven stout ale, feeling as if he had just been struck with a heavy hammer. Everyone knew what sorts of spirits the dwarves usually distilled.


And so the party continued, the crowd gathered in the Hall not becoming smaller even though many elves were slowly sitting up from their tables, aleady tired as it was past the midnight hour, to retreat to their homes. However, they were soon being replaced by some of the people that celebrated outside of the Hall, everyone being welcomed to join the feast wholeheartedly. Zael and Elvina were engaged again in dancing, letting their bliss guide them as the dwarves, who, after drinking so much since the night began were still standing, albeit they were just as drunk as by now pretty much everyone else, aside the King, Queen and Elvina's mother. They seemed, oddly enough, unaffected. And they did drink, too. Zael, intoxicated enough, now gently leaned into Elvina and whispered into her ear, only for her to hear. "My love... can we... retreat to a quiet place? I... need to tell you something." He said, trying to contain his emotions. He was decided to wait no longer to put the ring on her finger, but he wished for it to be a moment just between the two of them.

 

[Rosie]

His kiss reminded her of things to come. She lost herself in it for a moment and surprisingly managed to only stumble when he released her to grab yet another drink. Elvina felt like she should be smiling gleefully, bursting with joy, but instead she looked almost dumbstruck with wandering eyes. He was a drunken mess, but by god, she loved it. And from that moment, she felt herself unashamedly craving more with the hope that her flushed cheeks from dancing disguised the blush that had just rushed through her veins. Upon his turning back, she examined him. His lips were fixated in a hazy grin and his eyes were wide with the effects of whatever the hell was in what he just drank. The girl did not want to think.


"I love you too." Elvina finally replied, not being sure if her agreement was even audible above the music that had been summoned once again. Even so, the words had finally left her body, and she felt physically lighter upon doing so. And now he wanted them to retreat to somewhere private? She could not possibly think of what he was planning. But then again, that made it all the more exciting. "We can go to the courtyard." She suggested breathlessly, the whole atmosphere and constant exertion of energy having exhausted her entirely. Zael nodded enthusiastically, and with a bit of inevitable help, she managed to help him off of the table, letting the dwarves know that she was taking him out for some fresh air before he passed out right there and then.


With her hand encased tightly in his, the anticipation was getting the better of her, and she perhaps rushed him a little too quickly to the exit in which two elves opened the gigantic doors for them. The cold evening air hit them like a brick, but she welcomed the billowing wind through her hair. It was wonderfully refreshing, and when the doors eventually closed, she took a moment to close her eyes and breathe in the crisp oxygen. "Let's go by the tree we shared our first at." Elvina proposed with a wicked grin. Even in the darkness, the directions to that beloved tree was ingrained in her mind due to it's continuous importance to them both. When they finally arrived, petals were still fluttering to the ground whimsically. It was here that Elvina rested her back against the white trunk and pulled Zael towards her with a playful smile, accompanied by a small giggle. His hair was frayed from the heat of the cramped Hall, and she took it upon herself to sort through the strands until they fell neatly over either side of his face.


"There we go, much better." She declared, not making an effort to move her fingers from between his coal locks until the palm of her left hand cupped the back of his head. Her want for him was swelling up within her chest, but was it too soon to make such advances? She believed that her question could only be answered in one way. Plucking up the courage to step towards him, she parted her lips against his in a kiss that was sweet with promise and possibility. During the kiss, she eased his gloves from over his hands and let them drop to the floor so she could feel his hot fingers between hers. "Spend the night with me.." Elvina eventually breathed against his lips. She was not in her completely right mind, but she was sure of her decision. If only she knew a similar turmoil was battling out in Zael's mind. The irony would be almost entertaining to someone who knew the truth behind their secluded meeting.