Eletha of Roan strode quietly. She left the Mercy, the Grand-Galleon and walked inside the Arkshelled Island’s main fort. Upon walking in, she gathered the eyes of the Soundless who then returned to their station upon noticing that it was her. Eletha of Roan continued her rather leisure stroll until she found the laboratory where the scholar called Ristina was. Unfortunately, she only saw the human prisoners and the young elven who was diligently doing her work. Eletha was concerned that this younger elven’s halven lifespan would have made her truly committed to the human she shared it with. Of course, the council had already ‘remedied’ the problem that she had. She was glad that the youngest wasn’t sticking to that human.

Of course, that was only a secret to the council who heed the words of the earth mother. Eletha of Roan called out to Mana, “Ermelinda of Daena, do you have a moment?”

Ermelinda stopped when her other name was spoken. She turned towards Lady Eletha and said, “Sister Eletha,” she said to her. “I hope that you don’t say my name too much.”

“Silly girl, when have you become so… emotional?”

“Hmm, it seems that some experiences have made me this way. Now, what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?”

“I was looking for Ristina. Where is she?”

“She’s been invited to take care of business regarding… some of the old family that are here.”

“I see. Since she’s not here then let me borrow you for a moment. I believe that you have insight on this as well.”

Eletha of Roan took Mana with her to the scap of Arkshelled Island. The sleeping beast was looking at the great seas. Ermelinda was looking at the scenery with a heavy gaze. To those who did not have bond and blue blood in them that allows one to sing the artes. It would have been beautiful scenery. It was different in their eyes however.

“Even here?”

“Yes. It seems that no matter where we go. The world cries in pain. Like a battered maiden, our poor earthen mother weeps at the state of this world.”

“Is it because?”

“Yes. We have subdued the enemy, but those who were responsible for your… accident have not been found. They are rather secretive and even the Soundless and the Jesters couldn’t find them. I expected Caldor Ando to have sensed them by now. It looks like we had greatly underestimated them.”

“That is disturbing news.”

“Isn’t it? The Vitae and the Armored Protectors have been used to carry the assault. Of course, we have to thank the soldiers of the fleet for being fierce fighters in the first place. Though I must admit that this has been a rather short campaign, much different when we could only helplessly watch aboard the vessels and support the soldiers in their battle against beasts. This campaign has solidified our relationship with the human-kin… but know that there are still those who think of us in suspicion.”

“Even with all that we have?”

“Unfortunately, minds are not easily changed. The Arkshelled Island is the center of our power, it allows us to gather energy and consolidate it to help move the fleet forward and create a sanctuary able to produce supplies in the long run. They know our inherent value, but aren’t so easily trusting because of it. We might be their saviors, and if harsher days come. Some think that we will not feed them, abandon them. Hunger is a powerful thing to those who are desperate, don’t you think so? You’re among the youngest, among us. Pray tell, what do you think of humans?”

“Complicated, Sister.”

“And?”

“They are a race of surprises. Give them a few years and they will grow even bolder and it wouldn’t be long until their natural sciences would trample us. They may not have the lifespan, the natural strength, but their ability to think and adapt makes them dangerous. I’ve once wondered why the Chancellor was able to win against us. How Lord Dougan who despite his hatred for the humans, still chooses to respect them. What makes them worthy to be our friend and enemy? I understand that they have their own different morals and beliefs. There are those who stand out and there are those who remain in the crowd. Nonetheless, they are worth knowing.”

“Hmm, I find that your lack of disdain is truly surprising.”

“It is not that I hated humans before, Sister. It’s simply because we have long lives that we do not understand what drives the mad to pursue so many things. We take things easily like a stride because we have time.”

“Is that why you have become so diligent?”

“Perhaps,” Ermelinda gave a gentle smile, “it is because I have more time to realize how fortunate I am compared to these humans. I have been taking it easy, unable to recognize my fortunes.”

Eletha of Roan observed the change of this youngest elven. She was among the newborn who had been fortunate enough to be born within this era and unfortunate to be born in such times where the world was blinking. It was an unfortunate era and even Eletha of Roan was confident in this journey. The creatures of the interstice and their hunters were driven by their methods of hunting down those who may blind the eye of the world. This youngest elven was one of the luckiest. It wasn’t so easy for anyone to escape the creatures of the interstice and they were not so easily defeated. Even that blue-blooded heir was able to enter this fleet because Rosalve, that blue-blooded human with the earthen mother’s blessing, was able to fend off the creatures who had attacked the moment they found the location of the light’s blinder. It almost cost them their life and thankfully the light’s blinder was able to manifest his destiny to resist them.

So in a way what happened to this youngest elven was a miracle. And to be visited by the earthen mother was a fortuitous encounter that she had managed to do when she was far from being young. Her blessings came early, Eletha of Roan however hoped that it wasn’t because the earthen mother had sensed the tough days ahead and decided to help this youngest elven.

“Your outlook has… changed. I’d heard that your arrogance was befitting of a small princess,” she teased.

Ermelinda looked away in shame, “Perhaps my experience in being thrown away had taught me a lesson.”

“You’ve never truly said more about your experiences with the human doctor. It must have been quite a toil for you and the doctor.”

“I admit that when I was thrown away. Unable to move a muscle. I’d expected the worst. Nonetheless, I was fortunate that it was the doctor of the Mercy that I’d been thrown with.”

“The Doctor, huh,” Eletha of Roan lowered her head. She had been busy navigating the Grand-Galleon and helping maintain the fleet, but she could recall the busy human who would always check-in on the crew members.

“The doctor must have been quite a character.”

“Yes, he is my friend.”

“Your friend… worthy enough to give half of your life to?”

“Worthy enough. It is impossible to describe my experience without telling everything,” there was a hint of shame on Ermelinda’s face. Of course, Eletha of Roan and the others had already checked if there was any violation of her womanhood which Ermelinda had proudly denied.

“Ermelinda, can you at least tell me some?”

Ermelinda hesitated, “I’d been placed in comatose for a few months,” she started telling some of what had happened to her during that time. Eletha of Roan listened and as Ermelinda continued, she started to wonder what was wrong with the doctor.

But as Ermelinda continued, she spoke so fondly as if the doctor was her closest friend. At the same time, she began to understand why Ermelinda would offer half of her life. Such gratitude was not undeserved by the doctor who held on and believed he must at least do good for his patient instead of abandoning to his fears. It was easy to give up goodness, and yet the doctor remained.

Ermelinda obviously had skipped some shameful parts to which Eletha allowed her to do so. How could she shame the younger one? Not to mention that it didn’t take much to deduce what would have happened to someone who could not move and what the doctor must have done to relieve her… private needs. Perhaps Eletha had shown a rather meaningful look that Ermelinda became shy, her voice somewhat muted.

“It is fortunate that you’ve met a human with such a hold on his belief. If the earthen mother had allowed this, then it couldn't have been helped. Of course, I hope that you would not so blindly trust this man, Ermelinda.”

“No, I’ve barely spent time with him. Even if I do want to, Sister. His life does not revolve around me and mine does not revolve around him. We are far too busy with our work that we’d barely have any chance.

Eletha inspected her expression. She wondered if Ermelinda was quite disappointed about this, but her eyes seemed to be sure of what she had said. Eletha shook her head, and focused her eyes back on the scenery.

“Well, enough about your affairs. I hope that this changed outlook would benefit you, Ermelinda. Still, it is good that you have not been further harmed by that curse. The world cries in pain and even the sprites here are… gloomy.”

There was a dreaded aura that couldn’t be found in the lowermost area of the Icean Spine. Eletha of Roan had felt that such feeling was increasing as they came closer to the Great Seas. That feeling was not almost overwhelming to those who are sensitive to such things. If it wasn’t for the presence of the Arkshelled Island that was carrying the Ark that had been bound to the beast, then they would have felt diminished and plausibly weakened.

“Do you think that it's even worse there, Sister?”

“Perhaps. That’s why I was looking for Ristina. She might have some ideas on how to mitigate this. Of course, we can rely on the blinder’s light and banner to keep this miasma from lowering our spirits. But if the light’s blinder is… distracted then it might cause some accidents. We’ve been fortunate to cross the seas with little accident. But our true journey has barely started. The crossing of the dread line, that sea of corpses, is nothing more than a taste of what to come. Our ancestor had always said that the world is vast and to circumnavigate it would take a long time even for an elven. Time isn’t exactly on our side. Those who had left Aon had not returned.

“Times will get tough. Our preparations are good, but not perfect. If we had more time we might be able to truly say that we’ve done good.”

Ermelinda looked at her seriously, “Sister, truly, why have come here? You could have just waited for Risti to arrive… but you would spend time with me?”

“Ermelinda, we are allied with the humans… but do not forget that we are the elven and they are human. There will be disagreements in the future, and with the humans having the light’s blinder. We could not have the arrogance that we have. There is no doubt that Terin Gaspar is light and he would play a key role in all of this. But we must also understand that there are times where we have chosen our own kind throughout history… and that is a truth that has remained unchanged even now.”

“Are you warning me?”

“Maybe, but I hope that you do not stray. It is good to keep such relations with the humans, but the Great Seas are treacherous and there is no better way to test this ‘alliance’ we had forged in this dire time by putting it over the fire of conflict.”

“The council does not mean to start one, right?”

Eletha of Roan laughed, “Of course not, but our approaches towards our enemies differ. Even I am not confident that I can call upon our sprites so carelessly in the Great Seas. Lest we meet disaster and fall at the hands of the hunters of the interstice.”

“It must be troublesome to be a Lady of a Grand-Galleon, Sister.”

Eletha of Roan didn’t reply. Her eyes remained on the gloomy sprites that remained on the city that had fallen to the Reconnoiter Company.