Sentria: The War for Askeran (Book 3)

Chapter Twenty-One: The Little Things

Like a feather we floated down from the top of the Great Tree, and though the descent was slow and soothing, it was not a light occasion. Princess Ilya, Eldwyn, and I held onto the fabric as the winds carried us down, much slower than our ascent had been. I stared at Eldwyn who seemed devoid of emotion, as if his heart had been dug out and replaced with empty space. I wanted to offer the right words to release him from the pain he was feeling, but I wasn't a wordsmith. If only I could hold him tight and tell him that all would be well.

We landed and walked to the opening that we had entered from. I took one last look at the cold blue space and the layers above us. There was so much magic still left in this world, but I could almost feel it dying. This was the Askeran's forest last gasp of hope.

The setting had changed outside of the Great Tree. The phantom Sentrian Castle was no longer there, only withering black trees and leafless bushes covered the land. I felt a chill crawl up my spine despite it not being cold. We didn't say anything to each other—we didn't need to for we could all feel the imminency of the threat. With magic so precarious, it was too much of a risk for Eldwyn to port back to the Village of the Wind and he led us into the forest, trusting that he knew where to go. The air was still and stale, and he moved with less assuredness, often stopping and meditating before choosing another path, but my faith never wavered. 

I walked up to him, unsure of what to say but something had to be done. "Eldwyn, if you need to stop and collect your thoughts—"

"No," he said, "we must keep moving. The Winding Forest is dying and the wind relics have to join our side."

"Just wait," I said, and grabbing his shoulder and stopping him.

"Darren, time is running out."

"We decide the time and we decide fate. Murton taught me that. I don't care that this forest is turning black, it's just our present situation. All will be good in the land again. I've given great consideration to the past, where we started, and where we've been. How much I've changed with you by my side. I know I'm imperfect but I know how much you care for me and I for you. You've changed me and in my constant journey to get better, I always want to make you proud. You've impressed me Eldwyn, and I've made a commitment: I will no longer eat the meat of this land. Whenever I've had fish or cattle or fowl, I've done so knowing that I've had their permission, an unspoken agreement that they understood their sacrifice, and now I'm making the decision to commit to a plant-based regimen. It may seem small, but I wanted you to know that you've inspired me to be better."

Eldwyn's eyes brightened again and he pulled me into a hug, "Knight...I'm so happy that you've come to this decision."

Princess Ilya wiped a tear from her eye and I held Eldwyn back. "Me too," I said, closing my eyes.

We continued walking through the forest, Eldwyn led with more confidence and Princess Ilya seemed pensive as she looked at the gray skies above more than that the trails before us. As the day darkened, she snapped her fingers and a flame appeared in her palm, lighting the way. I kept a look out for blackwolves or Cordathian soldiers, but the area seemed utterly empty, as if it wasn't capable of sustaining life of any kind.

The sun set completely just as we came upon the perimeter of the Village of the Wind. Eldwyn told us that the winds would tell Hura that we were there and he was correct. She came up to us, slowly but surely, and looked pleased, as if she knew that we had succeeded in our task. Eldwyn showed her the heartstone when she was close and she immediately pulled him by the wrist and led him into the village.

"He's done it!" yelled Hura, holding her walking stick up with her other hand. "Eldwyn Gamor has found the heartstone!"

Everyone cheered and danced around him. They lifted him up with wind and he spun around in the air, holding up the heartstone triumphantly. Princess Ilya and I looked at one another as we clapped for him. These moments didn't seem small at all.

When things calmed down, Eldwyn told them the story of our adventure in the Great Tree. All the wind relics watched on, as if they were watching it as it was happening. They were sad to hear about Eldwyn's parents, the two of them were free-roaming wind relics, but many relics knew them personally for many years. Hura reminded him that they'd always be on the wind if ever he needed them and Eldwyn looked comforted by that. After he finished, he gave Hura the gnose rock and Hura took him for a walk around the village and Princess Ilya and I were taken to a house to stay for the night.

"I feel like I can finally breathe," said Princess Ilya, stretching out on her cot. She already had her zesty potato soup and I was having a second bowl of it. With my new diet I would have to increase my portions if I wanted to maintain my knightly lifestyle.

"You hold yourself together very well," I said, sitting at the small wooden table nearby.

"As a royal I've had to mask my emotions, just as you have, but make no mistake I was frightened the whole way. From the phantom castle to the Great Tree, but I reminded myself that this is what I wanted. Adventure. It comes at a great cost, but these events must be met with bravery."

"That's a good way to look at it, I might have to borrow it."

"I don't think you need any help from me in that regard. You do a fine job of being brave for us all, and now that you're lighter you've been even better at it."

"Have I?" I stopped eating my potato soup.

"Yes, you have. That song that you sang in that hollow place lifted our spirits. You've become more sensitive and Eldwyn has become bolder. That's the point of life I believe, whatever we have less of, we are meant to strengthen."

I half-smiled and tapped my spoon into my bowl. "You put things so succinctly. I'm envious of that."

"You don't need to, Prince Darren. It comes through in your actions."

By the time Eldwyn returned Princess Ilya was asleep. He came in and kissed me, then sat down next to me.

"How was your walk?" I asked.

"It was lovely. I'm glad that they accepted me back. This is my home, knight. With my parents gone I'd have nowhere else to go."

"You always have a home with me, Eldwyn." He smiled, but I sensed there was more that was said. "What's wrong?"

"It's something Hura said. I know many things, but I am still young and unknowing of so much more. I've been getting the sense that our journey has been about the past as much as it is about the future. With Ilya and her knowledge her mother, with the creation story of Askeran, with your family home....but there's something I'm not seeing. I asked her about the wind relics at that time and she said that the truth had been scattered to the winds, lost in time. Fire, water, and ground all had details, but not us. What is our truth?"

"Don't worry, Eldwyn." I placed my hand on top of his. "We will find the answers. It might seem like we're journeying into the dark, unsure of where to go, bu we always seem to find our way. The winds will tell you all you need to know."

We fell asleep on the cot together. I spooned Eldwyn, holding him safe and close. Tomorrow, we'd be returning to civilization, to the southern kingdoms to inform them that the relics were on our side and how we planned to defeat the north. It would take convincing on my part, but with the might of magic, I had hope that they would see reason—but when I woke up in the morning something was amiss. I was still holding onto Eldwyn, but we were no longer in the village of the wind. This was the Gray Woman's house.