by Faith Naff
“And yet, it seems a sense of honor only comes in the tiniest of packages in Her forest,” Sparrow rebutted.
“There is honor in threatening Temple representatives?” the seryan questioned.
“There is plenty in respecting an official response from the Rose,” Sparrow answered.
The seryan scoffed. “It is of no matter. We will comply with your brutish tactics while you hold the upper hand, but you shall suffer the consequences of your actions soon enough.”
Sparrow lifted off her branch and hovered in the air. “I will fetch the high priestess for you,” she said. “The Thorns will remain here, to ensure your continued compliance while in our lands.” Without giving the seryan a chance to respond, Sparrow flew off towards the north.
Even though the acolytes knew faerie eyes still watched them, the forest once again felt empty. With nothing to do now but wait, many sat upon the path and rested their legs. Rainstorm and Ilderra sat together at the base of a nearby tree. Their heads leaned back against the trunk almost in unison. “Well, that was unpleasant,” Rainstorm said.
“I feel like we should say a prayer of thanks that we’re still alive,” Ilderra responded. “The Rose Thorns seem even more skilled than their legends say.”
“I certainly didn’t see the journey going like this,” Rainstorm said as he gazed up through the canopy. His eyes searched in vain for any sign of the faeries watching over them. “But perhaps this means we’ll be moving on sooner than we thought.”
Ilderra reached into her robes and retrieved a small, half-loaf of bread. She hadn’t been hungry at dawn when their camp awoke, and she had plenty left over to snack on now while they waited. This was the morning of the second day on their journey. The walk from Tranquility into the faerie territory took no more than a full day for any young, healthy being, but with so many in their party, the journey had proven much slower.
She still didn’t know why one of such regal status was on an errand like this, but the purpose of the trip at all was still suspect. “Do we even know who we’re looking for?” she questioned between mouthfuls of bread. “I know it’s a faerie and an elf, but that’s all anyone has told me.”
“Their names are Firefly and Sunrise,” Oakleaf said as she stood over them. Her eyes were still wide with fear after her unanticipated encounter with the Captain of the Thorns. There was emptiness in her soft, monotone voice. “The Temple has been hunting them since the end of the Balisekt War.”
“But what did they do exactly?” Rainstorm asked. Despite all his silent moping, he too was struggling with the absurdity of the whole ordeal. “I highly doubt they fought at the side of Lord Killika.”
“I am just as ill-informed of their crimes as you two,” the priestess said, “but the Grand Seryan has made their capture a top priority. Nearly all of Tranquility is out in search of them.”
“And none of this strikes you as a bit odd?” Ilderra asked. It felt strange to be speaking so casually with her spiritual superior, but Oakleaf herself had started the conversation. As long as the priestess didn’t seem worried about standing on ceremony, she wouldn’t either. Besides, her mind seemed many miles away. “Going after deserters doesn’t seem normal.”
Oakleaf took a deep breath. “Since the demon horde nearly destroyed the Temple, I fear we’ve been a bit short on normal.”
“On that, we agree,” Rainstorm chimed in.
Oakleaf gave no response, instead standing still and staring blankly through the Wilds.
“So now we just…wait?” Ilderra asked.
“That’s the idea,” Rainstorm replied. His eyes scanned the canopy for a moment. “You could go wandering around if you’d like, but I doubt you’d live very long.” They shared a laugh at the dark joke. It wasn’t until a young, male faerie in acolyte robes came zipping down the trail from the south that their innocent chuckling ceased.
“Is that a messenger?” Rainstorm asked as he rose to his feet.
“I believe it is,” Oakleaf said as her focus returned. The faerie stopped just before the priestess and bowed his head.
“Priestess Oakleaf?” the faerie asked formally.
“I am,” she replied. It was a welcome change to have a faerie address her with the respect she deserved.
The faerie reached behind him and retrieved a rolled piece of paper strapped to his waist below his wings. The parchment was nearly as tall as he was. “My lady, a message from Tranquility for the seryan.”
“I will fetch her,” Oakleaf replied. She hurried off to find her master. Rainstorm and Ilderra looked at each other, exchanging glances of curiosity. In no time at all, Oakleaf returned with the seryan at her side. The messenger bowed his head and delivered the letter.
The seryan opened the letter and began reading silently. Oakleaf, Rainstorm, and Ilderra waited as her old eyes moved back and forth, scanning the words apparently meant only for her. At last, the seryan finished reading and let the paper roll up again.
“My lady, what is it?” Oakleaf questioned.
“Silvermist has summoned all seryans back to Tranquility,” she responded. “I must leave at once.”
“What of the rest of us?” Oakleaf questioned.
“The orders have not changed,” the seryan answered. “You are not to abandon your search for the fugitives.”
“As her ladyship wishes,” Oakleaf said with a respectful bow of her head.
Though shorter than Oakleaf, the seryan managed to look at her in a way that made her feel smaller than a blade of grass. “It is a pity I won’t be leaving this company in more capable hands.”
Oakleaf’s body trembled with rage, but she stopped herself from acting upon it. With a hasty bow of her head, the priestess ran off into the crowd of acolytes.
The seryan stretched her neck as her eyes scanned the many faces around her. “Where is the human called Ilderra?”
Ilderra felt her heartbeat increase. Her eyes grew wide and she nearly failed to take her next breath. Why was Seryan Moonbeam calling her name? “I...am Ilderra...your grace,” she said while raising a trembling hand into the air.
Moonbeam looked at the young girl and nodded. “You are to accompany me back to the Temple.” A series of gasps and murmurs filled the ranks of acolytes.
“Great one, why do you name her to journey back with you?” Rainstorm asked.
Moonbeam turned her gaze towards him. Her eyes held a level of uncertainty not normally seen in one of her standing. “The Grand Seryan summons her as well.”
Chapter 2
“Please...please be still.”
The deer was upwind of him, lazily munching on a small patch of blackberries. For what seemed like an eternity, the elven fugitive Sunrise simply sat there, crouching behind a nearby bush, waiting. The arrow was already strung into his bow, but he had not yet drawn it back. He feared the creaking of the wood would send the animal running off before he could line up the shot. Still, he was hungry, and this was the only real meal opportunity he’d seen in many hours.
Holding his breath, Sunrise lifted the bow into position. His fingers pulled the string back slowly, keeping the sound to a minimum. It groaned a bit, not enough to startle the oblivious animal, but to him the sound was deafening. A gentle breeze blew through his spiky blond hair. His dark skin blended into the shadows cast by the bush that hid him. His shot was lined up and the target was standing still. Everything was perfect.
“Lady be with you,” Sunrise whispered before letting go of the bowstring. The arrow shot through the bush with a loud whack. The deer had only a moment to raise its snout out of the bushes before the arrow struck it in the heart. It bucked and cried before taking off through the forest away from Sunrise.
Pleased with his shot, the young elf rose to his feet. His prey had run off, but it was of no matter. It was mortally injured. Now he had only to follow the blood trickles until he found where it lay dead, and then the feast would begin. He slung the bow across his back and set off after his meal. The sun w
as in its descent towards the western tree tops. Nightfall would be here soon, and he would want to get the deer meat back to camp before the light was gone.
This is what life had been like since the demon battle ended. Lord Killika’s army was defeated, but Sunrise was denied his chance to rest after a well-earned victory. His actions on the battlefield had branded him a traitor to the Temple, and every day since had been spent in hiding. In the blink of an eye, his life of meditation, study, prayer, and devotion was ripped away from him. Now, he lived like an animal, fending for himself in the Wilds.
The blood trickle was easy follow. The deer was losing quite a bit of it with each step. His stomach growled at the thought of such a fine meal cooking over a small fire. The sky was still clear, and his campsite sat at the base of a tall oak. He’d be able to climb the tree tonight and see the stars. These were the joys in life that kept him going now. They were simple things, but there was something about that simplicity that brought him a sense of peace.
What Sunrise missed most from his life before exile wasn’t the Temple, his status, or even civilized living—it was companionship. He’d always been a difficult soul to befriend. His discipline and commitment to the acolyte path made him a powerful spell caster, but it didn’t make him a great friend. For the last year or so his only real companion had been Firefly, the young faerie who was his ward.
Just thinking of her again made him shake his head, though it wasn’t sadness or anger that filled his heart when she entered his mind. He held no contempt for her. She had done nothing to wrong him. In fact, despite his less-than-preferable circumstances, she had freed him. It all made him wonder, if he’d only seen the truth earlier, how different the outcome could have been.
The scene replayed in his mind whenever he had a quiet moment to himself, and a walk through the Wilds like this yielded such an opportunity. In the quiet of the lonely forest, he could almost hear the demon army pounding on the door of the Temple. There he stood, at the back of the Lady’s house of worship, his Grand Seryan at his side, and certain death but moments away. A twig snapped beneath his foot, but in his mind, it was the barricade on the door smashing to splinters.
His face twitched as he recalled the horrific sight. Into the Temple the demons poured; their hot skin, like burning coal, searing the flesh of anyone who touched them. They were shaped like animals, bounding on all fours as their tails whipped about behind them and smoke poured from their snouts. But these were no creatures of Her forest. Their presence defiled the holy sanctuary, and despite all his training, he wasn’t powerful enough to stop them. All he could do was try to get his master to safety.
He’d called to her, begging her to flee with him, but she would not. She just stood there, staring at the ceiling and questioning the will of She who is unquestionable. It was there, in that moment of hopelessness, watching the abandonment of the Lady by the one who should be Her greatest champion, that he began to see what Firefly was trying to show him. It was also then that she appeared.
At the last moment, when death was but a breath away, she came. Firefly descended between the demons and their prey. Her lovely wings, colored and patterned like a monarch butterfly, made no sound as they guided her down from the ceiling. The curls of her orange and black hair bounced against her shoulders. She seemed so small and insignificant, but like a force of nature, her powerful magic pushed the unholy creatures away. The former acolyte-in-training, who could barely produce a tiny flame or spark days before, wielded the elements with more power and focus than a seryan could achieve. With the demons deterred, Sunrise was able to pull the Grand Seryan to safety.
He could still hear the smashing of the window. He could feel the wind against his face as he and Silvermist fell and the cold splash as they landed in the lake. Everything was still vividly clear to him, including the moment his life completely changed.
Once out of harm’s way and back in the public eye, Silvermist seemed to regain her senses. She had been rescued, but by a faerie wielding power she shouldn’t be able to access. Firefly had abandoned her path, turning away from the Temple and her acolyte training. She shouldn’t be able to cast such spells, yet she did. As Firefly emerged from the overrun Temple, Silvermist called for her detainment. Her guards moved in, preparing to pluck the faerie from the sky, killing her in the process should it be necessary.
That’s when Sunrise made his choice. All he had to do was stand there. A lack of action would ensure everything in his life returned to the way it was. His statues in the Temple would remain. In fact, his bravery and heroic actions would have likely earned him the title of priest. But in that moment, everything about his world had changed. He’d seen the ugly truth behind the Temple, and the Grand Seryan he so deeply believed spoke for the Lady.
As the guards attempted to capture Firefly, Sunrise stepped in to intervene. Holding the guards back, he called out for Firefly to flee. He was helping her escape, and in doing so disobeying the will of his master. It was a moment that changed him, both mentally and physically. As Firefly zipped off and disappeared into the forest, the full fury of Silvermist turned on him.
“Acolyte, what are you doing?!” the Grand Seryan bellowed.
“I should ask the same thing,” Sunrise responded. “She saved your life. You owe her your gratitude, not a prison sentence.”
“The deed was done with unholy magic!” the Grand Seryan retorted. Her hands flew over her head. In her anger, she nearly lost her balance. Silvermist had always appeared so regal, so orderly. He’d never seen this side of her—the untamed animal driven by pure emotion.
“But you’re alive!” Sunrise shouted. The guards were moving in on him, seemingly anticipating their master’s next command. He put his hands out to his sides, ready to cast his spell at a moment’s notice. He hated to idea of using the Lady’s power against Her own faithful, but survival was his only goal at this point.
“The Lady protects me, acolyte,” Silvermist snapped. “I do not require rescuing by some dark magic wielding apostate.”
“Apostate?” Sunrise could barely say the word. Firefly may have cast off her robes, but not her love of the Lady. Her devotion was stronger than most of the acolytes he’d trained beside over the years. The very thought of her being branded an apostate made him weak in the knees.
“Yes, she is an apostate,” Silvermist continued. There was darkness in her tone. The voice she spoke with carried none of the Lady’s power or wisdom. Her hand rose towards him with her index finger extended. The sunbeams reflected off her magnificent rings. “And now, so are you,” she declared.
“No!” Sunrise said with his eyes wide. His hands trembled at his sides. The thought of it was unfathomable. Everything he’d worked for, all his sacrifices, were gone with a single utterance from his deity’s chosen.
“Take him,” Silvermist said. On her order, the elven guards to either side of her opened their hands. Tiny balls of fire roared to life above their palms. Their hands rose as the two moved in unison towards their target.
Preparing to defend himself, Sunrise raised his hands as well. His fingers spread out wide, curling upward like a wildcat extending its claws, but nothing happened. He gasped in shock as he looked down at his empty palms. There was no fire, no spark, nothing. He couldn’t conjure a single spell. “Impossible,” he said in a breathy tone.
Silvermist laughed as she watched. “See,” she said smugly. “The Lady punishes you for your sins. Your powers are gone” The guards moved in. A sinister smile adorned each of their faces as they realized their prey was helpless.
Sunrise took a clumsy step backward. His foot splashed down into the rippling surface of the lake. He was trapped. Useless for anything else, his hand moved towards his head and crossed in front of his face in a defensive position. He knew they had him.
As the first guard lunged forward, a violent crash erupted from the foliage to the north. All eyes turned as a large demon burst through the underbrush. It’s massive, cat-like body la
nded atop the nearer guard, pinning him to the ground. The poor elf screamed in agony as the demon’s burning hide seared his flesh. The other elf turned the fireball growing in his hand towards the demon, but it bounced harmlessly off its already burning skin. The pinned elf’s body began to convulse as his skin turned black. With his mouth gaped open and his eyes wide, he finally went still and silent.
The remaining guard readied a new spell; sparks of lightning danced between his fingers. As Sunrise watched on, he deduced what the young guard must have certainly realized. Building up the energy to strike down such a creature would take time, and he didn’t have enough. The guard tossed his bolt at the beast, causing it to wince for a moment but nothing more. As the demon pounced onto the guard, its furnace-like mouth consuming the flesh of his neck, Sunrise looked to Silvermist. To his astonishment, the Grand Seryan was gone. His eyes caught the slightest glimpse of the foliage to the west rustling as she escaped.
Seizing his opportunity, Sunrise turned and ran up the lakeshore towards the north. As he ran, a tremendous roar from above shook the trees and nearly knocked him off balance. He looked up. High over the spires of the Temple, the massive, dragon demon was breaking apart. The beast cried out as its body disintegrated like a spent lump of coal. On the shores to the north, the invading army of demons seemed to be sharing in its fate.
“She did it,” Sunrise said to himself. “Azalea did it.” Unfortunately, his new enemies were creatures of flesh and blood, and would only be more formidable now that the demon army was vanquished. Sunrise quickly reached over his head and grasped at the collar of his acolyte robes. With a quick tug, he pulled the garment off, revealing the simple, rugged clothing he wore beneath them. He balled up the robe in his hand. This was it. There was no going back now. With a heavy heart, Sunrise tossed his robe into the water and took off into the trees to the north.
It had all happened weeks ago, but it still felt fresh in his mind. After escaping, his first priority had been to locate Firefly, but his tiny faerie companion was nowhere to be found. He spent days searching for her, calling out to her. He tried to make it towards Windsong in hopes she would be there, but there was no sign. Soon, he started seeing patrols from Tranquility walking the Wilds in search of Firefly and himself. Knowing he would be unable to continue looking, survival took precedence.
