The Elven Powers

Chapter Thirty Two: Re-birth (Galandria)

A gentle breeze whipped across the courtyard, causing the dried brown leaves to skitter across the stone slabs. I had been staring at the charred remains of the tree of power. The third realm had lost so much, yet floating on the breeze could be heard the sounds of the victory banquet that was being held. I had had little stomach for food, however only recently had I left. From the palace, I had retraced my steps to the courtyard. The streets were now lit with the soft glow of candles filtering through various window panes. Despite the warmth they cast, a lingering chill had settled in my bones, even now as I stood before the Power. 

The people of the third realm had slowly begun to return to the city, as the sun set low on the horizon. A few survivors had been living in the decrepit forest, so had to be treated for malnourishment. They were scared having encountered the Sinstar that had usurped the forest in patrols, like the one we encountered on our journey into the realm. I had looked on as a family huddled together, having faced the horrors of a war that shouldn't have happened. It was no surprise that many houses had been ransacked. Corkash didn't care for materialistic things however, they just wanted to see the horror painted in the blood of the innocent. A sick twisted high for them. 

Nicholas was still out there, somewhere. He was not paying for his crimes. I supposed that he may be alone. Which would be a good omen if not for the warning in my heart. Somehow I felt a lack of followers, would only hinder him in the short term. The proof in that was the Mararan we had encountered in Killelvris. There were few, but still a sizable amount of people who would flock to Nicholas' banner. No doubt he could continue to 'persuade' some of the more reluctant creatures of Ardeth after that. He would continue to wage his war against us all. 

The fact that I had not killed him when I had the chance, had stayed with me like a bad odour following me around. One shot and I could have prevented further hardship. Anyone else would have been back in the banquet hall, celebrating with the rest of the army. Honouring the victorious dead. True enough the bodies that had been mangled as they were left dead against Tasathhel, had earned this hollow victory in every way. Perhaps, I should have just been rejoicing at the fact I was still alive. The army however chose to honour us too, as they felt without opening the gate the war would have been lost. Personally, I felt it took a number of stones to build a protecting dam from the flood of our enemies. 

It saddened me through the triumph over the Corkash, that Elrohir had been the cause of my long term failure. I hated to blame him. It felt selfish, like I was trying to pin things on him because he would forgive me out of love. Yet the truth was more disappointing than that. The man I had given my heart to had let the one man who could leave our hard won peace in tatter live. The fact that Nicholas was Elrohir's brother had not escaped me. I knew full well that he would be conflicted about this. Still, he spoke with such hatred towards Nicholas when we had been pinned up against The Great Cherry Tree, our lives on the line. I would not have guessed that he would have stopped me from killing him myself.

Elrohir finally moved away from the arch he had been leaning on. He had shadowed me since he had stopped me from killing Elrohir. He knew full well that I needed to deal with this conundrum on my own. I needed time to forgive him. There was no doubt that I had to forgive him. I loved him too much to let this come between us. I just couldn't hurt him and force him to feel guilty about letting Nicholas go. I had no doubt if our roles were reversed, where I was the one being rejected by my love, I would hold that moment in my mind until my last breath. Still, I planned on having him work for my forgiveness. I was too stubborn to just let the matter drop. 

I felt his arms wrapping themselves around my waist, as his hot breath displaced the hair around my ear. "I am sorry. I just love you too much."

I shook my head slightly. "You did what you did for the love of your brother, not for me." My heart twinged as I suggested he acted selfishly.