—Lower Town, Kiverryn—
"It's fucking weird, and I don't like it."
Lulu's nose wrinkled so far it looked like it would disappear into her wide, disgusted, and distrustful eyes. Idelle only smiled gently in response, turning her head to gaze at the small creature sitting upon her right shoulder. Small, stunted feet kicked happily as a bobbing head made stark pink pigtails sway about tiny shoulders. In the little hands, the creature grasped a wedge of cheese as large as its head, stormy grey eyes watching Lulu in return as it munched happily.
"It's a baby sylph, Lulu. She's not going to hurt you," Idelle offered when Lulu began to circle her, all the while keeping her eyes glued to the creature. When Lulu proceeded to stand at her back, the baby sylph turned her head all the way around to look at her. Lulu screamed and jumped away. Idelle could only laugh, turning to face her friend once more.
"What the fuck?! Why can it do that?!! Get it off! It's going to start munching on your neck next!"
Sensing her friend's fright, the sylph quickly finished the rest of the cheese and hopped to its feet, smiling a wide, sharp-toothed grin.
"Throw it on the ground. I'll squish it with my shoe!"
"I will do no such thing," Idelle laughed as the sylph transferred its tiny self to the top of her head, nestling between the braided ridges. "I found her all alone in one of the burned-out houses. She can't even fly right. One wing is badly damaged."
"Makes it easier to squish."
"You touch her, and you'll regret it."
Lulu held up her hands in surrender. "Long as she stays on your head, fine. That thing touches me, and..."
Hearing the words, the baby sylph lifted into the air, its path to Lulu tilted as it struggled to fly the short distance. But it found its mark and perched happily on Lulu's head. Her friend immediately stilled. Her eyes bulged as she tried to figure out how best to proceed. But the sylph seemed unconcerned with her transport's fright and settled into the mahogany hair.
"Sylph's can't speak, Lu. They communicate through silent gestures and emotions."
Lulu snorted, finally moving to cross her arms over her chest. "Oh great. So, it's just being a dick."
"You both should get along well, then."
"That hurts."
A whirling sound interrupted their exchange. Not far from where they stood, Ori sat with the few brave enough to seek help for the illness. The majority of people in Lower Town had retreated after Ori saved the young boy, still uncertain of whether or not they could trust this supposed savior. But there were a few who were either too sick to care, or had loved ones on the brink of death. The small group crowded around Ori, each eagerly awaiting their turn as, one-by-one, the poison was drawn from their bodies.
Lulu watched the swirling sludge. Each time it was removed from a person, the dark formless mass hung suspended in the air until Ori forced it toward the staff. A harsh whirling sound accompanied each removal, vibrating the very air. Lulu cringed each time.
The last person of the group was cured, the young woman flinging herself into her husband's arms. Grateful tears emerged, and Lulu turned away with a shake of her head.
"I don't like that she's using the staff," Lulu muttered.
"I know, but Ori understands magic better than anyone I've known. If she says she can handle it, she can handle it. We should trust her," Idelle shrugged gently. "Besides, this is hardly the first relic she's encountered. Give her a little credit."
Lulu snorted derisively, pointing to The Voice as he joined Ori and the cured. "Ori is smart enough to know that staff is more trouble than it's worth. I'd bet every one of my Reaper cards that he's the one pushing her to use that fucking thing."
"Wow. All of your cards? That's a serious bet."
"This isn't funny, Dell..."
"I didn't say it was funny. I said it was serious." Lulu leveled her a hard stare, and Idelle sighed. "There's nothing we can do, Lu. I don't have the strength to help the sick. Besides, nothing is wholly good or evil. The staff has the power to draw out the plague. Ori can handle the power responsibly. If it gets too much for her, I'm sure she'll tell us."
"Yeah, unless 'Speaks-for-the-One-True-Asshole' keeps whispering in her ear. I should just stab him. Right here. In the eye. It's not like anyone can stop me."
It was Idelle's turn to give a hard stare. "He hasn't done anything except help. Not to mention, your father will see your attack coming a mile away."
Lulu groaned and shook herself. "Can we stop talking about people I don't like and creepy staffs? Our current setting is bad enough with old droopy-tits and plagues and everything else..."
There was a heartbeat of silence before Idelle had the courage to speak. When she did, it was but a whisper pushing gently on the wind. "Did she really speak of Ephine?"
"Yeah," was all Lulu offered in response, turning on her heel in the next moment. She disappeared from sight, leaving Idelle standing there with a hollow ache in her heart.
Idelle closed her eyes. She could picture Ephine clearly in her mind, her happy, bright smile stuttering in that horrible moment when she felt the sharp cold steel pierce her heart. The blood ran in rivulets down the spear's shaft and splashed angrily against the ground.
A hand touched her shoulder. It was a familiar touch, one that kept her still. Slowly, she turned to find Duncan standing there, his heavy hand falling away as a deep frown marred his face.
"Everything alright, little lady?" his deep baritone was soft when he spoke.
She shook her head, suddenly realizing a few tears were spilling down her cheeks. "No," was all she could whisper.
"Who was Ephine?"
"Lulu's first love. She died a long time ago...It...It was my fault she died."
*************
Ori winced as the last of the cured people left her side in the company of a few Light Wardens. She swayed slightly, her energy strained beyond replenishing. It had taken every ounce of her aether, and more, to cure the ten sick individuals who had accepted her help. There was nothing left, her magic taxed beyond her limits. It was something no mage should ever attempt, but the need was dire, and so, Ori had thrown caution to the wind and allowed herself to take every last drop of her aether.
Each mage had their own limits, and once those limits were exceeded, the caster was in danger of losing their life. She had depleted her reserves so thoroughly that she had found herself borrowing from her own life force. Her mother would be furious. Now, she felt woozy, sick, and exhausted. Usually, her aether replenished regularly and without effort, but when it fell below its threshold it took either outside influence or a great deal of time to restore itself. For now, all Ori could rely on was time. She couldn't tell Idelle what she had done. If she did, there would be even more questions as to why she allowed her aether to drain.
Beside her, the staff hummed gently, a comforting warmth reaching out to her in a dangerous invitation. She glanced in its direction but made no move to grab it. It was all too easy to reach out, to take the staff in hand and allow it to restore her strength. She knew it could heal her in a matter for seconds, but the price she paid later would be undoubtedly high.
It beckoned to her in gentle whispers and warmth, promising untold strength if she just took it in hand. The whispers raked along her inner ears, forcing her eyes to close in an effort to think of something, anything, else. But they only grew louder and her body began to betray her, reminding her with every breath how weak she was without the staff.
Ori physically recoiled, her resistance succeeding only to rile its anger. It tugged on the sludge inside her body, making her stomach twist and her throat constrict. Ori stood, ready to run to the nearest secluded corner, but the moment she turned, she ran headlong into Prince Alistair. He steadied her with a smile, his hands grasping her elbows lightly.
"Everything alright?" he asked.
She nodded, swallowing the acidic burn in the back of her throat. "Yes. Just tired."
"I'm sure you've done enough for today. You should get some sleep. There seems to be enough to keep us busy for awhile."
That made her smile. "No rest for the wicked, right?"
Alistair chuckled, the soft glow of the campfires burning in the streets making his cheeks glow warmly. "I would hardly count you amongst the wicked, my lady. What you did today is nothing short of miraculous."
Ori shrugged. "Hardly miraculous. Just helpful, and not even that helpful. There are still so many that need help, and I don't know how to convince them that they can trust me."
"Just because there is more to do doesn't mean today wasn't a victory. Considering the last few days, we should take our victories where we can get them."
She laughed quietly. "True."
A short, awkward pause, and then, "The Voice was looking for you."
That made her sigh. "Of course, he is."
Before she could leave, Alistair grasped her elbow once more, his firm but gentle touch stilling her in place. "Forgive the impertinence, my lady, but I already informed The Voice that you are getting some much-needed rest. I told him I would deliver you in the morning."
Her brow furrowed, "Why?"
"I may just be a dumb, spoiled prince, but even I can see the staff is causing you distress. After the vision, or whatever it was you experienced, I know the signs to watch for. You're pale, your breathing is uneven, and your hands are shaking. Your aether is depleted."
Ori couldn't help but smile gently at the observation. "And how do you know the signs of depleted aether?"
"I asked Idelle."
With a bowed head, Ori took a deep breath and allowed her shoulders to relax slightly. "Thank you for the concern, my lord, but I'll be alright. I can at least ask what His Eminence wants."
He stepped in front of her, halting her escape. "I'm afraid I must insist you stay."
"Is that an order?"
"Does it need to be?"
She met his eyes, unable to look away from his imploring gaze. He was watching her closely, aware of her every wince of pain. She felt frozen, grateful for his concern, but wholly unprepared for it. It had been a long time since Ori left home, four long years now with no one to look out for her but herself. Though she had made plenty of friends, not a single one had ever ensured that she look out for her own welfare. It made her glad to know someone was looking out for her.
"Goodnight, Al," she offered with a grin as she turned away. He groaned unhappily in response, but the sound only made her smile widen.
*************
Lulu sat by herself, head resting on the open palm of her hand as she watched the small bonfire flickering in the distance. Her mind was far from Kiverryn, lost in the wilds of Ashante Krivaan, a beautiful and dangerous land in the south of Vanaheim. There, she had such happy memories, happier than most in her life. A smile almost touched her lips when she saw a certain someone flash in her mind's eye. But she couldn't smile, wouldn't smile, because she knew how this story ended.
And yet, she was powerless against her rising memories as they crashed over her again and again. Ephine was there, dancing with abandon around a large campfire, her body swaying enticingly as a warm breeze swept through the wilds. The firelight made the massive plants and towering trees sparkle, their beauty competing with glowbugs, torch moths, and twinkling fairies dancing beneath the thick, colorful canopy.
But everything paled in comparison to the picturesque magnificence of Ephine. She was stunning in every conceivable way. The light warmed her pale skin, bringing out the pink undertones that flushed invitingly from her cheeks, down to her chest. Beads of sweat rolled down her neck and disappeared between her full breasts that bounced with her every step. But what held Lulu utterly entranced was the sway of her hips. She lost herself to the enrapturing display, her gaze straying from hips to eyes of dark amber liquid that promised a second, private dance later.
The music, scenery, everything fell away as she allowed herself to be wrapped up in a future she could so clearly envision.
Lips pressed against her cheek and the memory was lost. She blinked sharply and jerked away from the touch as though the kiss burned her skin. Lady Teressa seemed not to notice as she sat beside her, threading her arms through her own, chest pressing against her, and chin leaning on her shoulder.
"I've been looking for you," Teressa smiled.
"Lot on my mind."
The lady pulled away, concern flooding her eyes as one hand fell away to grasp Lulu's. "Nothing ever seems to bother you...well, except for The Voice. Did he do something?"
"If he did, he'd be dead."
Lulu didn't mean to be so short with Teressa. It certainly wasn't her fault that painful memories were swirling through her mind with abandon, and there was no way for her to know that her inquiry, though meant in the best of ways, only opened wounds anew.
"Do you want to talk to me about it?" Teressa asked after a moment.
"It's not a good story."
Teressa leaned close once more, setting her head on her shoulder and squeezing her hand gently. "You saved me from a miserable life. I can handle a not-so-good story."
It took less than a few seconds for the words to rise to her lips and spill out softly into the night. Until that moment, Lulu didn't realize how much she needed to speak about this to someone. Her memories were still so clear it seemed as though her words conjured her lover's form.
"Her name was Ephine. I met her when I was twelve. She lived in Velloch, a city near my family's home. Her family was from Vairalais, but they had moved to Medyulana just before the Cataclysm."
She felt Teressa frown. "Are those places somewhere in Andavaran? I've never heard of them before."
Lulu couldn't help but chuckle. "Oh, my lady, you are quite the sheltered one are you not? There are whole other worlds out there, worlds with people of different races, different beliefs...different foods."
Teressa sat up straight, her eyes wide with excitement. "You're lying."
"Hey, just because I'm a liar doesn't mean I'm lying about this. Idelle, Ori, and I have traveled to every known world at least once. There are things out there that you wouldn't believe."
"Like what?"
Lulu thought for a moment. "Dwarves."
Teressa blinked. "What?"
"Dwarves. They're a race of people that come up to about...maybe your hip if they're tall for their kind. They short and stocky, but their warriors are some of the toughest you'll ever meet. And their craftsmanship is second-to-none."
"Wait. So, you've been to all these other worlds? Does that mean you were born in another world, too?"
Lady Teressa couldn't possibly imagine the pain her question inflicted. Bad enough were the thoughts of her lover. Lulu took a slow breath, trying to ease the ache in her heart.
"I was born in Alfheim, the land of eternal spring," she began, the pain already bordering on overwhelming. "I don't know who my birth parents were. I guess I was too small and sickly for them to care for me, so they took me out into the middle of the forest one night and stuck me in the hollow of a tree."
"How could anyone do such a thing?!"
"Old superstition. Some people thought, mostly the humans living in Alfheim, that if you abandoned your sickly child in the forest, the elven spirits would come and take it away to Vairisorn, a land of eternal life and prosperity. In return, the spirits would bestow another child, a healthy one, into the parents' care. So, they took me out there hoping to get a better child in return."
"How did you survive?"
"My dad," her small smile wavered, tears pricking the corners of her eyes at the thought of him. "It wasn't too long after The Thieves' Rebellion, a war that won the crown of Alfheim for my aunt. Both my fathers helped her during the war, but one was her best friend. They loved each other so much. He stood with her through the entire war. He actually commanded her army. And when the war was over, he helped her rebuild."
A memory surfaced. Her dad stood in a lavish room, watching her with a fond smile as she twirled in a small, beautiful dress before a mirror in an ornate golden frame. The memory was nothing grand, but it was cherished.
"Anyway, my aunt gave my fathers time to celebrate their marriage and sent them off for a few weeks. They were hiking one evening when my dad heard me crying in a tree nearby. When he found me, I was almost gone, but he wrapped me in his jacket and warmed me up and fed me what they could. The way my father tells it, dad basically sprinted back home to find my aunt and have her heal me. He never even had to think about it. Once he knew I was going to make it, he named me Elusia Marcella Vale and that was that."
Teressa seemed to sense the sadness in her voice. "Oh. Something bad happened to him, didn't it? I'm sorry! I didn't mean to..."
Lulu shook her head. "It's okay. My dad...he meant more to me than the world. He's not gone. He's just lost. That's why I'm here. I help Ori with Kiverryn, and she helps me get my dad back."
That made Teressa smile. "Will you take me with you when you leave Kiverryn? I would like to help you find your dad."
"If that's what you want."
Teressa settled back in with a contented sigh. Lulu shifted uncomfortably. She should stop indulging the lady so much. Though she liked her spirit, Lulu knew her relationship with Teressa would never go beyond the physical. There was no need for a romantic relationship in her life at the moment, and even if there was, Teressa wasn't going to last very long in her world. The lady was too innocent to know the depth of the horrors happening right now in front of her. She would never survive outside of Andavaran.
"You didn't finish telling me about Ephine."
Lulu blinked, startled once more by the mention of her lover. She recovered quickly and inhaled quietly. This was clearly a story Teressa would not allow her to avoid. "I knew I loved her the moment I met her."
Teressa laughed. "She must have made quite the impression for you to fall in love that fast. Just like when you first slid into my carriage."
Lulu ignored the casual mention of love. "Oh, she did. She cut my ponytail in half, robbed me blind, and pushed me in the mud."
"That...uh...that doesn't actually sound very romantic..."
"I deserved it. I stole her cookie, her necklace, and her coin pouch all in a matter of seconds. I was just beginning to perfect my thieving skills and thought her an easy mark. I was very, very wrong. She caught up to me while I was eating the cookie. Best introduction ever."
"So, where is she now? You two obviously didn't stay together for very long."
"Yeah, well, that's what happens when you punch a spear through someone's chest."
Teressa sat up once more, her eyes wide in astonishment. Lulu hardly reacted, keeping her gaze turned away as she recalled that horrific moment with startling clarity.
Ephine's back was turned, her focus on Idelle. There was no time to hesitate, to second guess what needed to be done. Ephine was sick and Idelle was in danger. A moment of indecision could see her lose the most important person in her life. So, she did the only thing that could be done.
"I can still feel the spear felt in my hands, how much force it took to pierce her ribcage. I didn't have a choice in the matter. She was...not well, and if I didn't stop her, she was going to continue hurting people. So, I had to...Anyway, long story short, Ephine was sick because of the old woman we saw here in Lower Town. Her name is Tal'Dovah and now I've got two bitches in this city to kill."
Before Teressa could regain her thoughts enough to voice another question, a sudden scream pierced the night. Those still outside fell silent at the bloodcurdling sound. It repeated a second and then a third time. Lulu unsheathed her sword. She stood with Teressa, watching the darkened street ahead. Nothing moved for several long breaths, and then, the faintest sound of shuffling feet was heard.
From the shadows came a man, normal looking in every conceivable way. He couldn't be responsible for the horrible, ungodly sound. But as he drew closer, Lulu began to notice the man was not as normal as he appeared. She maneuvered Lady Teressa behind her, watching the man warily. His gait was uneven, his eyes glazed over, and very faintly, were dark lines pulsing along his skin, exactly like the infected in the city. He stopped a few feet from the nearest Light Wardens, his eyes searching the crowd until he found who he wanted.
The Voice.
"Tal'Dovah wishes to offer warning to The Voice. She will not suffer your presence after daybreak. If you remain here with those tainted verses, she will eat you and your flock."
The Voice stepped forward with all the calm assurance that he was the one with the power here. In his hands, he held The Broken Song. He raised it, brandishing it as one would a sword.
"You think a heathen that rules through fear could intimidate me?" The Voice spoke with such projection one would think he was addressing a grand audience instead of a terrified huddled mass of refugees. "I am The Voice of the Creator. I wield The Broken Song and I..."
"You are a thief, a liar, a coward, and your song is broken beyond repair. Tal'Dovah knows what you are, and she will not suffer a heretic to remain in this sacred city."
The Voice gestured to their surroundings. "And yet, she sends only you. I will not fear a man sent only with a message."
"Is that all I am?"
The man's skin began to grow a dark purple, bulging grotesquely. There was no time to react, no chance to stop what was happening. In a matter of seconds, the man's spine snapped at his hips, the top of his body falling backwards as he released another horrific scream. His body ripped apart, exploding in a disgustingly spectacular fashion. Black sludge, blood, and viscous fluid rained down on everything nearby, congealing together in a horrible display. The Voice himself was not spared from the sudden assault.
In the aftermath, everything was silent, just for a moment, and then The Voice turned. Lulu saw him wide-eyed, shaking, and covered in all manner of disgusting things. She blinked once, twice.
And then, she laughed.