THE ELEMENTAL CHRONICLE

Thirty Four |

Thirty Four |

            The room was shocking. So grand and luxury that it could not be considered as just a room and yet I could not find another word as fitting. There was no candles and yet the room was bright, as bright as the outside. The interior was marble—everything was marble and in the middle of the room was a milky bench. My eyes widened and I stumbled forward, my hands shaking. On the bench was a woman. She looked as if she had been merely sleeping, her skin so pale it matched the marble, she wore a golden circlet, and milky silk clothing embroidered with golden embellishes. The only thing that contrasted the still woman was her dark locks. I stopped walking in front of her, my eyes slowly moving back to Eliza.

            "W-What is this?" I asked softly.

            She smiled slightly, "This is the sacred tomb of Gwynestri Yarrow—the first Yarrow and rumored the first ever air elemental."

            I suddenly felt sick, "Is that her body?"

            "Yes. The tale goes that she had fallen in love with a fae. They had a number of children and they lived happily being the first rulers and creators of the land of Ipuina. When she married the fae, he became king and ruled peacefully, taking over as ruler. It made sense, people loved the king more than the cold and cruel queen and so his popularity forced her off the throne. Queen Gwynestri could not bare the thought of losing the position as ruler and so she sent her husband away on a five year trip. He loved her, so he left without a second thought. In this time she started a war with Neorian despite her husband's objections. She believed if they too Neorian then the people of Ipuina would be bought by fear and admiration. She had believed in this plan so full heartedly, that she even sent their children to war to fight for her where four of the five died horribly. The deaths of her children changed her and the war turned into an obsession. She vowed to take Neorian and even sent non-trained warriors to fight. It turned into a bloodbath on both sides. When the king came back and realized the horrors she caused, he cursed her and disappeared, vowing their blood would live on in their final child but not the mistakes of his parents. That night they say she simply went to bed and didn't wake up. It is rumored she still sleeps now, cursed by the fae she loved and betrayed and the war was put to an end by the new king who was their only surviving child."

            My mouth felt dry, "Is that story true?"

            "Who knows," she shrugged, "But all have tried awakening the first queen and none have succeeded. She has not decayed nor aged, she simply lays. Generations passed and she was relocated here. Apparently, her circlet had been her only keepsake from her unknown parents and many have tried to steal it. However, the circlet has a curse on it too, whomever comes to these catacombs to steal it becomes so lost they cannot even find the exit and they die."

            I shivered, stepping back, "Why tell me this?"

            "Because it will help you fight," she explained calmly.

            Confusion filled me, "I don't understand."

            "Gwynestri was an immensely powerful elemental. Because of that, she grew greedy for more and more power and this is how she met her own demise. For those elementals that fight for the sake of greed or anger, they will be destroyed by the same," she replied, "However, at the same time we should allow our emotions to allow us to fight. Do you understand?"

            My mind whirled and I nodded, "I think so."

            "Gwynestri's husband was no soldier, he was no fighter like her but he still gained more than she could ever hope because he was smart and he acted with his heart," she said.