Chapter 59 - Familiarity

Sian calmly watched Groyven as he sat opposite her. The mixture of emotions playing out on his face while he considered what she said. Sian smiled, knowing that he was trying his best to connect all the details he had just been furnished with.

He met her eyes, “You had…They took in abandoned and orphaned children? But how did you…If you were born in that time, then how?” he asked quietly, a confused expression on his face.

Sian nodded, “To very briefly explain how I got from then to now. Many Eladar Wilderelves would make partnerships with animals, bond with them, allowing them to shapeshift to their familiar’s form. Mine was a snow leopard; Lumia was her name, she was beautiful.” she smiled sadly, “While I was transformed into a snow leopard, Lumia was killed, cursing me to be locked into the fate of living my life out as the animal. My soul forced to be reborn into the body of a snow leopard again and again for eternity.”

Groyven stared at her in shock, “Stuck, only to be reborn as an animal?”

Sian smiled, “Finally, Antrandis found me in the mountains by chance. I became like a familiar, and over a long time partnered to one of the Hithren, a child of the gods, I was able to regain my connection to my old self. Finally I was able to shift once again into this body, with his help. With thanks to my parents and their foresight, they created a repository, I was able to regain my memories of my life with them within days of being able to transform back into this body.”

Groyven stared at her in silence as she turned the device over in her hands.

She looked at him, “Those two dragons did not hibernate. They guided the new gods to this world.”

Groyven looked at her in rapt fascination, “But, no. that would mean,” he shook his head, “But that would mean.” he frowned deeply, “But that would mean…”

She nodded, “Yes, the silver dragon that crashed into the mountains, she is my sister.”

Sian watched as Groyven struggled with the thought, “That is how I can immediately recognise that this device was made by a dragon, and how I can make an educated guess of how it traps its power. My father was a master at his art, the forge. When I was young, I spent every moment I could with him when he worked, as he made wondrous things.”

She tapped the sun, “As you proved Groyven, this particular device only goes one way. But there might be other things we can do to work out where you came from.”

Groyven looked at her, then down at Tiffaniel as she slept, “I have a little understanding of planes, dimensions, parallels and mirror universes. My elder sister taught me.”

He met Sian’s eyes, “I see further then Tiff. Tiff lives in the moment. I understand that finding where we came from is like searching for a single particular grain of sand on all the beaches of this world. I know that we will never get home.” he said, his face calm.

Sian watched him as he controlled his emotions, “Groyven, how old are you?”

“We are almost eleven, maybe only a few weeks or days, I am not sure.”

“You seem much older in manner. Your parents?” she asked.

Groyven frowned, “They died a year ago, and our elder sister Selera and her husband the Captain care for us.”

Sian watched his set expression, “Back in the cave, you mentioned your master.”

He nodded, “Sialin, I am her apprentice. I used her flame to keep me from falling during the fight.” he shook slightly, swallowing back the emotions, “I... I used so many.”

Sian watched him, sadness in her eyes, “She is special to you.”

He nodded, his face starting to crumple, Sian placed her hand over his, “Groyven, we will try our best. We will even ask the gods, they are closer than you think.”

He shuddered, holding back tears, swallowing hard.

“Groyven, we will try our best to return you to your elder sister.”

He opened his eyes, looking into Sian’s emerald, “And if it is not possible?”

Sian watched him carefully, a gentle smile on her lips, “I believe you already know the answer to that question.” she said calmly.

He met her eyes, “You would take us in? Give us a home?”

“You and your sister have a place with us if you decide it to be so. We would offer you sanctuary and everything that goes alongside it.” she said.

Groyven nodded slowly, quickly glancing at Tiffaniel’s sleeping form.

“Do not decide now, Groyven. You are our guests until we have exhausted all avenues of returning you to your sister, or until you decide otherwise. Be it to leave, or to make Meliandra your home.”

Sian smiled at him, quickly looking him over, “I am sure you do not wish to sleep in those clothes, and you are bloodied all over. I can smell food being prepared, basic, but it will do. I can have more water brought in, or.”

Groyven grew red under the layer of sooth in embarrassment, “I, I can bathe in the river. The cold water is not a problem.”

She smiled again, “I will keep you company, if you wish.”

Groyven nodded, “But Tiff? What if she wakes and I am not here?”

“She will be fine, Groyven. She is safe.” she leaned down and kissed the girl’s forehead, “Now she will sleep until morning.”

Groyven looked at Sian, surprised, “What did you do to her?”

Sian laughed, gesturing for him to come closer with a finger, “I will show you.”

Sudden warmth spread though him, reaching through his body, relaxing him the moment Sian’s lips touched his forehead, “Oh, I…”, he blushed involuntarily, panic, fear and anxiety being smoothed and calmed.

She smiled again, “There is no need to fear, think of it as a charm of sorts. Do not worry for Tiffaniel, she will sleep soundly until morning.”

Sian held open the tent flap, waiting for Groyven. He walked beside her through the camp. She slowed momentarily as one of the guard handed her the quickly assembled clothing. While they walked, Silias dropped into step beside them. She smiled to Groyven as he looked up at her.

“Master Groyven.” she said in greeting, nodding her head.

He smiled in return and glanced briefly to Sian.

“Silias is my champion and attendant.” she explained.

“Is she your slave?” he asked

Silias laughed as Sian looked at Groyven with a frown of disbelief.

“Slave? There are no slaves in Meliandra.” said Sian.

Silias smiled, tousling Groyven’s hair, “To be a champion and attendant to the house of Darkfall is the greatest honour, it is a task that my family line has dedicated itself to for over twelve generations. My body is Sian’s shield, my arm is her sword, and her assistance if needed. Apart from Antrandis and Winter, my sister and I are her closest confidants and most trusted.”

“Are you a warrior?” he asked.

“Foremost, Yes. Trained and tempered by Lord Antrandis for the past five years.” Silias said with a level of pride in her voice.

“Once we have returned to Meliandra, you can watch me spar with Sian or Antrandis if you wish. I could teach you how to fight with your body or with a blade.” she glanced across the river, to the ruins, “I think you already know how to bend fire to your will. The whole valley shook.” Silias said with a smile.

“When did you start to learn?” he asked.

Silias chuckled, “To fight? When I was four years old I started training with my hands and learning tactics.”

Groyven looked to Sian, who nodded.

“Four?” he almost whispered in shock.

Silias looked across to Sian, “As soon as we return I will have the internal guest chambers prepared.”

Sian nodded, “It is for the best.”

Groyven looked up at them, “Internal guest chambers?”

Silias nodded, looking down to him as they walked, “Yes, they are a couple of separately furnished rooms within Antrandis and Sian’s living complex. It means that you will be living with them as their guests for the time being. When we arrive at Meliandra you will see.”

Groyven nodded, overwhelmed as they reached the bank of the river. The dark water rushed past, the reflection of the full moon dancing on the surface of the water. He stopped, feeling Silias’s hand on his shoulder.

“Groyven, will you be alright? The water is cold this time of year.”

He smiled at her, “The cold water is not a problem.” he said, removing his top.

Sian held out her hand, “Wait, one moment.” she closed her eyes, concentrating, muttering a few words under her breath and gestured to the bank of the river.

Within seconds the bank leading into the water had started to glow with fairy fire, a bright aqua tone that lit the immediate area and the bottom of the river itself. Silias frowned slightly, noticing the dark welts of heavy bruising on his right shoulder and back. She shook her head while sharing a look with Sian.

“Groyven, we will stay here with you, but we will face the forest. Will that be alright?”

He looked back at them, “Thank you.” he slowly reached up and lifted the chain of the amulet over his head, stepping in front of Sian he looked at her, “Could you take care of this for me?”

Sian held her hand out and he placed the black rectangular amulet in it, its twin amethysts gleaming in the aqua glow, “Hendosphyre has already returned, he must have finished talking with Winter.” he said to Sian as she handed him the loose pants.

“Sian, Silias, thank you.” he said as they turned aside. As they heard him enter the water there was a faint hiss. Sian looked at the amulet in her hand, turning it over in the low light of the fairy fire, the light catching the etchings on its surface.

“Groyven, this amulet, it is how you summon Hendosphyre, is it not?” she asked as she heard gentle splashing of water.

“Yes, I am the only one who can use it. Only the head of my family line can summon and command him.” he said as the water hissed gently around him.

Sian looked at it curiously, “Only your family line? May I turn?”

“Ahh, yes.” he said as he quickly checked himself.

Sian looked at him as steam rose off the surface of the water, a faint glow of orange embers in his eyes. “Only your family line?” she said as she knelt at the edge of the river, looking at his eyes.

“How do you have such elemental power? It comes from within you?”

He looked at Sian, “Yes, both my sister and I have the Demon’s Thread within us. It is the source of our power and… Sian?”

A frown furrowed her brow, she looked at him, her expression serious as wisps of steam rose around her, “Groyven, does the name ‘Aletere’ mean anything to you?”

He rinsed his face with water, “You said that name when you spoke to Hendosphyre in the cave, you said he was a mount of the Aletere. I am sorry, I do not know of that name.”

Sian looked to Silias, who shook her head, “Groyven, in the morning, once the sun has risen, can I look at this amulet again?”

Groyven nodded, “You can, there are inscriptions all over it, but no one in my family has been able to read them for generations. We just know to speak his name and he will come.”

Sian nodded, backing away from the water and turning away, allowing Groyven to exit and dry himself off.

“It is alright, I have my pants on.” he said.

Silias took a look at him, “Groyven, you did not dry yourself off. Here.” she said as she came closer to help towel him off, stopping short as steam started to billow off him. She shook her head as the steam cleared. He was dry and slipping the makeshift jumper over his head. She shared another look with Sian as he looked at them. Groyven retrieved the offered amulet from Sian and hung it from his neck, tucking it into his top.

“Thank you for the clothes.” he said bowing, dipping his head.

Sian watched him, her eyes narrow, “Groyven, do you have any symbols behind your ear?”

He looked at her and nodded, folding his ear forward, exposing Sialin’s glowing mark and the family sigil.

She looked at them with interest, “And you have never heard of the Aletere before?”

“Never. We only know it as the Demon’s Thread.” he said, his eyes on Sian’s.

She nodded, smiling warmly, “I think I have asked enough questions for now, I am sure you are hungry.”

Groyven smiled and let himself be guided by Sian and Silias as they rejoined the road and started walking back to the camp. Groyven looked from Sian to Silias.

“Sian, won’t people be afraid of Tiff and I in Meliandra?”

Sian glanced at him as they walked, “Why would you ask such a thing?”

He looked at her, frowning, “We were treated as outsiders at the Enclave, our parents hid our skills and we only used our power properly after our elder sister took us in. After that the people we knew would not talk to us, we were shunned.”

Silias glanced at Sian.

“Once it was known that we could do magic, we were called demons, witches or unclean. The commoners were afraid of us.” he said.

“Groyven, was this city, the Enclave, a human city?” asked Silias.

He nodded.

“In Meliandra, there are many who can wield magic. At your age, not as strong as yours. We have an academy for the arcane arts that has many masters of different disciplines.”

“Silias, can you do magic?”

Silias laughed, “I can, but I am weak in the arts. I have trained the few skills I have into those that complement combat, those that can make me stronger and faster, spells that can strengthen my skin until it deflects all but the heaviest blows.”

“After the initial curiosity of the people there is nothing to worry about.” said Sian.

Groyven nodded slowly, relaxing somewhat as they re-entered the camp.

Sian slowed to a stop, glancing around, tilting her head slightly, “Groyven, I apologise, but you will have to excuse me, I have something I must attend to. Will you be fine with Silias taking care of you for now?”

Groyven nodded.

“I will check in on you and Tiffaniel when I return.” she looked to Silias, nodding slightly before striding back out of the camp and into the darkness.

Groyven watched, a small frown creasing his brow.

“Do not concern yourself, Master Groyven. There are a number of matters that have came to a head due to the eclipse, not just you and your sister’s arrival. Hopefully we return to Meliandra before tomorrow night.”

Groyven looked at her, “Tomorrow night?”

She smiled at him, guiding him towards the fire, “Yes, if we can manage it, we might return in time for the Festival of Sighs.”

“Sighs?”

Silias nodded, “We release floating lanterns, a Wilderelf custom that stretches back to the Eladar, it only happens on the last night of the eclipse, so every fifty five to seventy years. It is a sight to see, colourful lanterns to make the night seem like day. This one will be particularly special.”

Groyven looked at her curiously, “Why this time?”

“Because of Sian. The purpose of the festival is to honour the fallen warriors of the Eladar, those that continue even now to walk the mountain passes as silent guardians, trapped to live out eternity as animals. She is the only one to be returned to us, after eight thousand years of walking at Lord Antrandis’s side as Snowshadow, and all that time before, lost and among the mountain passes.”

She smiled as she watched Groyven’s expression, “We light the lanterns in the hope that the lost souls will look upon them wherever they are and remember what they were. Even if only for a moment.”

Shadow of the Eclipse: Chapter Timeline

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