Disarray

Chapter Three

          “Come, Queen Arilia waits.” Telvor ordered, dismounting his horse. He smiled sympathetically when he beheld their exhaustion. “You may rest soon, I assure you. This meeting should not be long in duration.”

Rylan nodded, and extended his arms one more time before following him and Aden into the forest.

As they walked, Rylan was attentive to his surroundings. The path they strode down was trodden and lined with stones, creating a pleasant contrast with the delightfully vibrant grass.

The thick trees created a vivid, bushy canopy overhead, and their leaves toyed with the light, resulting in a blue-green hue to the atmosphere.

Several bright, tiny blossoms sprouted from the branches on the trees, their brilliant petals glistening like a thousand diamonds.

Rylan quickly extended his hand and caught a small bloom before it fell to the ground. He continued walking, and examined it closer. Its sparkling petals were tiny and smooth, glistening like a sapphire. The center of the unique flower was flamboyantly yellow and shone like the sun.

When Rylan finally looked up from the blossom in his hand, he beheld a wonderful sight, the core of Islea.

A huge, clear river filled a large part of the center of the city with small, shimmering streams leading away from it. To the right of the river, there was a large, translucent pavilion with several vines of flowers growing across the top.

Inside the pavilion, there was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her skin was fair and pale, her eyes mysterious and the brightest shade of turquoise. Her elven features were prominent, long, sharp ears, and a tall stature. Her dark blonde hair was tied up into an elegant style, and her dress was long and dark green.

“Welcome to the elven city, Islea, Rylan, Aden. Long we have waited, and now you are finally here. Come, sit,” Arilia said with a slightly excited smile, gesturing to a cushioned bench.

“Thank you, Telvor. There is no need to linger where you do not wish to stay, go rest,” the queen said with a smile. Telvor bowed slightly, looking quite exhausted, and left.

“I assume, Telvor has told you of your destiny?” she questioned.

“That he has,” Rylan replied. “Whereon, I have an inquiry.” Arilia nodded, and he continued

“How did you know of Shalia? Telvor mentioned something about a vision, but how did it come to you?”

“Elves, in desperate times, receive visions to find a solution to dire problems. Not long after Zayleth became a concern, I tried to search for a solution, and had a vision of you and Shalia. Unsure of how to act from there, I waited for confirmation that you were the one chosen to save Ubaria.”

“What conformation did you find?” Rylan inquired.

“It is difficult to explain. It was undeniable, in a way. Along with the knowledge of Shalia’s insight, I received several visions confirming that you are the one to save us. However, visions are a complicated thing to understand, and we prefer to keep the extensive knowledge of them within our race.” Arilia answered politely.

“We’ve been searching for over a year to find you, and we must not waste time in training you both. After tonight’s celebration, you begin training in the morning. You will learn swordsmanship and other aspects of fighting from Jalmar, and will learn many important things from Malifar.

“The guard outside my pavilion will lead you to the sleeping hall, and there you may rest until the celebration. If you have any questions, ask Malifar. As much as he despises inquiries, he will tell you what you must know.”