Star Scion: The Mortal Realms Trilogy, Book 2

Homecoming

The very walls of Shinaelestra emanated a soft light and whispered in the material world. But in the Feywild, the walls moved and sparkled. Every living thing, and some things that were not alive, sang of their place in the fabric of the life magic.

Morning dawned, and the great castle of the eladrin rangers was home among the Fey creatures. Oriander opened her eyes on the front walk, where her friends had vanished when Faerun had dematerialized. The Feywild had replaced it.

She was in the same spot, looking at the same trees and stones. Only, this world was her home. The flying and crawling and swaying creatures of this world were the same as her childhood.

Only moments before Oriander had parted company with a gnome heading to save his beloved from a giant lord, far to the west. The goliath man went with him. How Oriander wished she could have gone with them. But her fate had long since been focused on getting back home, to this place.

Shinaelestra, the city, appeared every evening in the material world of Faerun. Every morning the whole of the city goes back to its home in the Feywild. Because of that magical city, Oriander's homecoming had been fulfilled.

Oriander's memory of this place was fragmented due to the trauma that had forced her exile. She was close to few individuals, and even fewer of them would even recognize the person she had become.

The sun awakened behind her and its rays rose above the towers and the walls of the castle, Oriander's path into the woods was clearly lit. She considered her first step beyond the stone path she was currently on. There would be a fork up ahead inevitably. Which path would she take?

The sights and sounds and smells were all familiar to her. But both she and this place were different than she remembered upon her last visit. Oriander felt lost and alone, but inside her lurked a yearning for retribution.

She remembered the kindness of the prince, and the love of the Queen. And she remembered the cruel trick of the woman who sat on the diamond throne.

A voice broke Oriander's thoughts as a winged, bald man landed on the path in front of her. He paused as he studied her, but finally spoke.

"My name is Celestriun of Arborea. I have crossed worlds and broken through the fabric of reality to find you."

Oriander was silent. She didn't recognize this man, but there was something familiar in his manner of speech. She knew she had seen his white eyes before."

"The gods have need of the Star Scion yet again. Come with me Oriander and we can set things right."