Chapter 624: An Elf’s Tale, Part 3
“I’ve been wanting so long, too long, to finally talk to you, you haven’t even the faintest idea...”
Terra wiped away the tears welling in her eyes, so quickly, hastily, as if afraid that if she took her eyes off Eshwlyn for a moment, she’d disappear like a mirage in the light, a mere illusion of her imagination.
“But I could not let anyone know of our true relationship, not your stupid Master especially. I had to leave you to them, I’m sorry I had to leave you... it was the only way, the only chance... and I know you suffered, and I’m sorry... I can never express enough the guilt I feel... the things they did to you, and I knew it... and I couldn’t stop it... forgive me...”
There was a gentleness, a true kindness in her words that Eshwlyn forgot had even existed. Disgust, hatred, contempt-not a day goes by when she is not regarded with one of those three things. To an Elf, to a Servant, as Tilina had proclaimed before, kindness was beyond consideration.
Yet here stood living proof to the contrary, the remorse poignantly resounding in her voice, as well as the watery shimmer forming in her bright blue eyes-shedding bitter tears for a mere Elf.
Eshwlyn smiled. “There is nothing to forgive, Terra. The sins of your people are not yours to solely bear, I realize that now. Please, I insist, do not make mention of this anymore for I never once thought to blame you, instead find reassurance in my words when I tell you... that I too am sincerely happy to see you again, old friend.”
A quiet presided for a time in which Terra took the time to dry her tears with the drooping sleeves of her cloak. The passage of time had slightly altered her looks. Eshwlyn noticed her facial features look more refined, a peculiar sharpness to her stare. Her demeanor brimmed a confidence, a strength, that that woman they had rescued in the woods long ago clearly lacked.
.....
She seemed a little taller too now.
“I’m... well, I’m seriously elated to discover... that despite your predicament, they have not completely stripped you of your kindness,” Terra said in an audibly stuffy voice. “Even if I feel like I don’t really deserve it...”
Your tears fall formed from a guilt you do not hold,” Eshwlyn replied. “If you ask me, the only transgression you are guilty of is believing the things that you do now. I advise you abandon that notion... otherwise, you’ll only waste more tears for no good reason.”
“And oh, by the Divines, just listen to you speak!” The Magus expelled a huff of air, sniffling. “Since when did you learn to speak so fanciful and prim? I can’t believe it, it’s strange, too strange! Oh... and so much time had passed, so many things I don’t know...”
“Terra...” Eshwlyn began, hiding her urge and fervor behind a firm tone of politeness. “You have her here, don’t you? Lenora, please... take me to her.”
Terra’s eyes stretched wide in horror. “Oh, yes, yes! Forgive me, I lost my focus there. Of course! Um, one moment, here-” then streaking out the narrow seam in her cloak emerged an old leather book hovering in a flutter of open pages before the Magus’ scouring eyes. She flourished an arm, and a moment after a deep heavy rumble of stone began to emanate from within the walls of the tower itself. “The fastest way to the top. They say meddling with the tower’s layout is inadvisable, but they say that about all magic performed here. Ah, I don’t much care anyway.”
An open stairway suddenly materialized from the solid stone wall that had once stood in front of them, revealing a direct route to a pinprick of light looming high above at a distance.
“Here, step through with me,” at once, Tilina began to ascend the countless steps upwards urging Eshwlyn with a smile. “In the meantime, perhaps we can catch up to speed with one another? This tower does get awfully lonely at times, I must admit.”
It turns out much had transpired since they had last spoken to each other that night in the forest. After returning to her people, Terra further expanded on her craft, her proficiency in various branches of magic earning her recognition and notoriety that expanded far beyond her own nation.
“That was when His Highness took notice of me too,” She said, recalling the memory with a hint of pride. “I was invited to his court where I displayed my skills before him and the Grand Magus of the kingdom. It was genuinely nerve-wracking, and I fumbled a few particularly complicated spells, but ultimately they were greatly impressed with me. The King then remarked that the township of Ulian lacked a Magus’ protection since the previous one had passed, and the rest was essentially history, I suppose.
“I was denoted the youngest Magus in centuries, made to reside in this tower... and much to my great dismay resigned to give my cooperation to a member of the House of Hendrick. Oh well, if it’s any condolence, I at least manage to uphold the sanctity of my family name... alas, an empty satisfaction... if only my brother could have seen me...”
Eshwlyn briefly froze between steps, something Terra whirled around to quickly address.
“No, no, I didn’t mean it like that! As I’ve stated before, I do not harbor any ill-will! You’re a friend, a good friend...” but even with a smile, it did not do much to improve the mood. “When... when I discovered you were here that day... realized that you were to be a Servant of Wilvur’s... I slowly began investigating, making excuses to visit so as not to arouse any suspicion... because if he had you confined, then surely it meant that Lenora too...?”
Unable to finish, Terra inhaled a deep breath.
“And indeed, my worst fears were confirmed. One day he sought me for my help... I thought nothing of it at first, another bother, another annoyance... then he brought me to her, your sister, her mind and soul numbed by the effects of Subjugation. Accursed magic. He told me to fix her. Fix. Not heal. As if she was merely a broken toy that needed repairing. The audacity...”
“And Lenora?” Eshwlyn asked, a surge of concern coursing through her. “Is she...?”
“I managed to bring her back, sustaining no ill effects, fortunately,” Terra said reassuringly, noticing the urgency in her question. “Healed her, mended her, all the while forced never to acknowledge her. Not with that despicable man watching. Ever since then, I’ve been keeping a close eye from afar on the both of you... waiting for a moment... waiting for a chance... a chance such as this.”
The Magus locked gazes with her once more, her soft blue eyes flushed with sympathy. “I have heard what happened with the rampant Elf-Knight from before. Remelda, right? A poor soul. I was present for her Conversion. How they bound your lives to servitude, I could hardly keep my eyes forward.... but at the very least, they can never take away your freedom of death. You still have that. I’m sure Remelda was aware of that too. And with her freedom, you’ve earned your reward.”
They’ve reached the very top of the stairs, entering a landing, another winding hall, that, from the view glimpsed from tinted windows, seemed to loom in a separate plane removed from the world. There were no structures below, no swarm of crowds teeming the streets, not even the rays of daylight poured onto the carpeted floor. Just a vast infinite night with the glint of many stars filling the view.
“It’s bewitched, just a simple illusion,” Terra offered as an explanation, seeing the bewilderment in her eyes. “Sometimes, I tire of looking out and seeing the same thing every day. Especially now, when even the nights are overshadowed by winter clouds. Besides, the night sky seemed more pleasing to the eye, don’t you agree?”
Briefly, Eshwlyn felt herself pulled away from the moment. She had never paid heed of it before... but were the night skies always this mesmerizing to behold?
“Anyway, here we are,” Eshwlyn tore away from the view, trailing the flutter of a book that led her glancing upon Terra, and beside her, emerged a fissure of light from the surface of a plain stone wall, slowly evolving, like cracks spreading, enveloping the empty surface with the same light before finally manifesting into the shape of an opened doorway. “The entrance only appears to my will and presence-after all, there can be no chance of escape for any of you, right? Wilvur insisted that I take great precaution.”
“Where does this lead?” She asked, and Terra gave a short chuckle.
“Where else?” The Magus said, smiling. “To her.”
That was all she needed affirmed. That there was no more need for any more walking, inquiring, or waiting. That time for yearning had gone. And that this moment here, now... had finally arrived.
Eshwlyn broke into a near sprint reaching the very edge of the doorway, peering at the blinding white on the other side, her figure basked in the ethereal glow of magic, before coming to a sudden stop.
“Will you not be accompanying me?”
With one side of her cloak dampened in the same bright white, Terra shook her head. “I’ve been instructed to,” She replied, her lips shaped in an even wider smile. “I’ve decided not to.”
“I want you to,” Eshwlyn said, extending a hand forward only to reach for air as Terra retreated back slightly.
“No, nope. I refuse to impose on such a moment with my presence. Don’t insist, I will not budge on this,” She added as Eshwlyn opened her lips to interject. “I have bewitched the space within as well... hopefully it’ll feel more like home. I have done all I can for you two. The rest... is not my reward to reap.”
A flick of the wrist, the ruffle of pages, and at once, Eshwlyn felt a strong rush of wind blow her forward.
“Now go, don’t keep her waiting,” She heard Terra’s voice faintly echo. “You’re not the only one dying to see her sister again, you know?”
From the empty white, Eshwlyn suddenly found herself transported into a world of lush colors. A blink to clear her disorientation, a second blink to marvel at the view before her.
There were no shallow ceilings above her, only an infinity blue sky. No walls surrounded her, instead, there was only an open meadow stretching vast and wide.
Her hair lightly blew, carried by a stray gust that swayed the flowers and trees that surrounded the vicinity. From the patches of sunlight scattered across the plains to the bristling of the grass grazing at her skin, she could feel it-freedom blew at her once more from another liberating breeze.
Yet in spite of it, she hardly cared.
Eshwlyn began to march, unblinking eyes scouring the dense landscape. Every fiber of her body yearning to see, yearning to hear, to touch...
“Lenora?!” Her shouts echoed far and wide. “Lenora!”
But she needn’t have looked far. A little to the left, in an audible rush of parted flowers. At once, there was a warmth. At once, there was a sensation. And she felt a familiar weight clinging tightly around her.
There were simply no words for it... when she glanced down... when she saw what she saw... her mind could barely comprehend it... almost rejected it... the sight... the feeling... it had to be an illusion, it cannot be real...
And yet it was.
Lenora was real.
And Lenora was here.
And so was she.
Eshwlyn felt her strength instantly leaving her body. Her voice refused to surface. Nothing wanted to listen. She could do nothing but stare and feel... feel the stream of snowy-white hair against her waist, feel the pressure of small, slender arms constricting her in a tight embrace, and feel as the warmth of tears welling gradually dampened her clothes.
Lenora still looked so very small, her petite frame barely reaching at her hip... had she even grown at all? Her hair was a mess of tangled knots and loose strands... and they looked longer than before. Her figure was slightly different, but how so? She couldn’t remember, she couldn’t tell. She used to be able to discern things like these? And yet now...
What else? What else was different? What else had remained the same?
And just... how long?
How long were you alone? How extensively did you search? How much effort had you expended? And just how many nights did you spend sleeping without someone to hold? How long did this go on for... for you to hold onto me this desperately?
For you to cry and yet not make a single sound... how long did you suffer for you to be this overwhelmed?
Eshwlyn found her vision blurring, her breathing faltering. She felt an impulse, and she dropped to her knees, and in a blur of movement and tears, Eshwlyn buried her arms around her sister.
“Lenora...!” She sobbed, managing to utter the only word, the only thing, that mattered to her now. “Lenora...!”
She felt her sister’s embrace tighten, her shoulders shuddering, with faint whimpers beginning to resound. They were so many things that needed saying, so many emotions that needed expressing, but just like her big sister, Lenora managed to utter the one thing that mattered the most.
“I missed you...”
The wind blew again, the flowers rippling along. High above, the blue sky shone. From looming branches, soared the wings of a flock ascending beneath the dazzling rays of a yellow sun. And there, amidst a swaying meadow of green, two Elves were reunited in an unending embrace.
The tears they shed not of grief, nor anguish, but of unbridled joy, happiness... and most of all, relief... because more than the wind, more than the sun, now that they were in each other’s arms... only then finally...
Were they truly home.
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