FAMILY

“...as cadre of immortals slain

revive their loss, relive their pain...”

Girynni Nvehnyn Dynde

3:2:3:3/5, III:IX

The white space drifted past him, but the sense of staying still was palpable. It felt like everything was rushing past Kingard while he stayed locked in place. He yearned to step from his spot, to explore this new realm and learn what he could of it, but he couldn’t bring himself to move.

“Kingard...?” Faintly, a voice drifted through the space, echoing in the flat dead way that only impregnable vastness could render. “...Kingard?”

“I’m here!” he shouted, struggling to move. He noticed he had no body, at least not a real one. Pure light ensconced him, and he struggled to discern his being from the empty white around him. “This way!”

“Kingard!” The voice took on an eager edge, and the once-elf stilled in his spot. Through the boundless white came the voice again, louder this time. “Kingard!”

Disbelief swept him. “Varyan? Varyan, over here!” How had he found him, after all this time? “Varyan, come this way!”

“I’m coming over,” the blond chuckled, moving into sight and closing the gap in a strange walk that covered distance in an instant. Beside him, the tree elf gazed in wordless joy for a long while. “It is good to see you again.”

“I looked for you! Varyan, they came in my absence and I couldn’t find you overseas! You vanished, son.” He felt the elf place a hand on his shoulder.

“Did you think I came all this way just to blame you? We are family, Kingard.”

Grief throbbed through his heart, followed by a rush of love so strong he forgot to breathe. A sudden gasp jerked through him, and the elf splintered into wakefulness, tears seeping from his eyes.