Elias Leywin POV
A groan slipped past my lips as I pressed a hand against my pounding head.
'What happened…'
My thoughts crawled through my mind like they were wading through mud. Slowly, I forced my eyes open. A soft, pale glow filtered through the air itself, bright enough that I had to squint. I lifted a hand to shield my face and pushed myself upright.
'It's so quiet…Too quiet.'
No birds called from a distance. No wind stirred the air. Even the insects had vanished.
The silence sat heavily on my ears.
I pressed my palm against the ground. Cool blades of grass bent beneath my fingers, perfectly still despite the field of flowers swaying gently around me. Pushing myself to my feet, I brushed the dirt from my clothes and looked around.
An endless meadow stretched in every direction.
Flowers rippled like waves across the land, blues and violets mixing with gold and white as far as the horizon allowed. The movement was slow and graceful, yet the air around me remained perfectly still.
'Wait a second…'
I let out a heavy exhale. "NIMUE, WHERE ARE YOU!?" I shouted out at the top of my lungs.
"Geeze, Lias, no need to shout," She winced, pressing her hands over her ears.
I flinched as a girl appeared beside me, petals spiralling through the air before settling around her feet.
'What the hell…'
"Impressive, right?" she laughed, the usual grin I had almost grown used to plastered on her face.
"It was," I nodded.
Her smile warmed as she held her hand out to me again. "Let's hurry along, there's something I want to show you before you wake up."
I took her hand in mine as she started to walk, dragging me along.
After only a few steps, I stopped dead in my tracks and deadpanned at her.
"Lias?" she questioned with a tilted head.
"You called me 'My Prince' as I faded away last time… Why did you call me that?" I questioned. My grip involuntarily tightened around her hand.
The grin slipped from her face, something unreadable flashing through her violet eyes.
"Did I?" she asked lightly, as though I had imagined the whole thing.
I narrowed my eyes. "Don't play dumb with me, Nimue. You said it, I heard it."
Her lips curled into a small, mysterious smile, but she didn't meet my gaze. "Maybe I did. Maybe I didn't. You were half-conscious, remember? Dreams are funny like that."
"You're avoiding the question," I grumbled.
"And you're being impatient," she countered, giving my hand a small tug as if to keep me moving. "There's a time and place for answers, Lias. Right now isn't the right time."
I stopped again, yanking her back toward me this time. "Nimue," I called. "I deserve to know what's going on. Why am I here? What were you hiding from me?"
Her expression softened, and for a moment, there was something almost… sad in her eyes. She reached up with her free hand and patted mine, her touch oddly comforting despite my annoyance. "I promise," she whispered quietly, "I'll tell you everything. Just… not now."
I stared at her, searching her face for any sign of deceit, but she only gave me that same warm, enigmatic smile I could never quite read. With a reluctant sigh, I loosened my grip, though the question burned hotter in my chest than ever before.
"Fine," I muttered. "But this better not be another one of your tricks."
"No tricks," she chirped cheerfully. "Come on, we're almost there."
We walked in silence. Gradually, the sea of flowers gave way to towering trees. Their branches arched overhead like the vaulted ceilings of Castle Glayder, scattering pale light across the forest floor in shifting patches.
The silence followed us inside the woods.
"Where the hell were you taking me?" I asked, letting out an over-exaggerated sigh.
She shot me a sidelong glance, a hint of mischief flashing in her eyes. "Would you believe me if I said it's a surprise?"
"You're impossible." I groaned, dragging a hand down my face.
"And yet," she laughed with a teasing lilt, "you kept following me."
I didn't dignify that with an answer, though my grip on her hand tightened just a little.
After several more minutes of trudging through the endless, silent woods, we emerged into a clearing bathed in a pale light. My breath caught in my throat as my eyes fell on the object at its centre.
A line of solid golden light illuminated atop a stone pedestal.
All I could do was stare for a long, long moment.
My hand slipped free from Nimue's. I took a mesmerised step towards the blade. "What is this…?" I murmured, my voice barely more than a breath.
Nimue stepped beside me, her usual grin replaced with rare seriousness. "This," she said softly, "is where it all began."
I turned to her sharply. "Where what began?"
She only gave me that same smile, hands clasped behind her back, eyes glinting with secrets she refused to share.
"Nimue…" I warned, but she only shook her head, gaze fixed on the beam.
"Later, my prince," she whispered, almost too softly to hear. She fell backwards as a swarm of petals covered her body. They flew away into the sky, leaving nothing behind.
"What the hell!" I shouted, raising my fist at the sky. "Get back here and stop playing about."
'What?How am I still here?In this place, after Nimue left.'
I spun around slowly for the first time, truly taking in this beautiful world.
'She did say this place was my memory.So…'
My eyes returned to the golden light before me. The pale glow surrounding it felt alive, almost as if it were aware of my presence. It felt familiar.
Slowly, I took another step forward, boots brushing against the strange, unmoving grass. My hands hovered at my side, hesitant to reach for the weapon yet unable to look away. A prickling sensation crawled up the back of my neck.
"This was insane…" I muttered under my breath. "Why would Nimue drag me here just to disappear?" My voice sounded small in the stillness, swallowed by the heavy silence that blanketed the clearing.
I crouched slightly. I reached out, hesitating just inches from the glow. My fingers twitched. Something deep inside me screamed at me to touch it.
My brow furrowed. "What did she mean, 'where it all begins'…?" My thoughts spiralled with unanswered questions. If this was my memory, why couldn't I remember this place? Why did the sight of this make my chest feel heavy?
The pull towards it only grew stronger, like an invisible thread binding me to the light. My fingers flexed nervously at my side as my mind raced, caught between fear and a strange, unshakable certainty that this was what I was meant to do.
With a deep, steadying breath, I rose to my feet and wrapped both hands around the solid light. It was warm under my palms. It was almost alive, pulsing faintly in rhythm with my heartbeat
For a moment, nothing happened. The length still wedged firmly in the stone, unyielding despite my grip. I gritted my teeth and planted my feet, bracing myself as I pulled harder
"Come on…" I muttered under my breath, muscles straining
And then, with a sudden jolt, the light shifted. The stone beneath my hands cracked, and the world exploded into brilliance.
---
I raised a hand to my face as my eyes cracked open.
"I'll never get used to that…" The words slipped out under my breath as the room spun lazily around me. I pressed my palm against my forehead and waited for the dizziness to settle. After a moment, the spinning eased.
Slowly, I lowered my hand and held it palm-up over my lap while I pushed myself upright.
'Where am I? What happened to m-'
My right hand shot to my left shoulder.
'It's here…'
My hand slid down the baby-smooth flesh that now formed my arm.
I poked it.
"Huh huh hu," I laughed.
'It's so soft…'
A goofy grin grew on my face as I felt the weird pain, or rather lack thereof, in this new arm.
I flexed my fingers experimentally before lifting the arm in front of my face. My new hand opened and closed a few times while I watched it like a curious child. Well, technically I am, but I digress.
Slowly, I brought my other hand up and pressed my palms together, lining up each finger carefully checking for any 'irregularities'.
I pulled them apart again.
Aside from a faint numbness that faded with each passing second, the arm looked and moved exactly as I remembered.
I sat there quietly for a while, staring at my hands while the memories of yesterday surfaced one by one.
'I pushed Kathyln away. So she should be safe… hopefully.'
My pinky finger folded down.
'If Varay and the others were there, then Curtis and his parents are probably fine too… hopefully.'
My ring finger followed.
'Master is Master.'
My lips twitched faintly.
'She's definitely fine.'
My middle finger dropped.
'I well…'
I lowered my index finger.
My gaze lingered on the last finger.
'But what was that spell I used…'
The memory sent a shiver through my chest. The heat it gave off within and around me was incredible, far hotter than any fire magic I had encountered thus far in my life, at least.
A long breath left me.
I leaned forward slightly, holding my hands just above my lap.
Slowly, I let mana flow. Golden motes shone like drifting fireflies. They spun together, condensing until a glowing sphere hovered in the air above my hands.
I let the now football-sized construct of mana sit there for a few moments, until it stabilised.
'When I used that spell, it came to me upon instinct. If I could replicate its feeling…'
"Then I could…" I murmured to myself. The sphere's shape elongated, taking on an ellipsoid-like form similar to that of an egg.
Motes of gold gathered at the top tip of the ever-elongating construct as ribbons of gold began to spin from its point.
'Huh… It's kinda like that thing I- we found in Avalon.'
"That's very impressive, Elias."
I jumped slightly in my bed. The spell lost its form as the mana returned to the surrounding air.
"I-I-uh… good morning?" I stammered towards the figure that lingered near the door.
She stepped inside, closing the door softly behind her. The faintest hint of a smile curved her lips. "Good morning, Lias," she said, with a grandmother's warmth. "You've been up for a little while, haven't you?"
I glanced down at my hands. They still tingled faintly with mana. "Just… a bit," I admitted sheepishly. "I couldn't really sleep, I guess..."
Her eyes softened, though a crease of worry remained on her face. She crossed the room and settled herself on the edge of my bed, moving slowly as though afraid of startling me. Sitting upon my bed's edge, she reached out and placed her hand over mine.
"I was worried about you," she gave my hand a light squeeze. "After everything that happened yesterday… and seeing you hurt like that…" Her gaze flickered briefly to my left arm, a faint sadness lingered in her eyes before she forced a small smile. "I just wanted to make sure that you're alright."
I swallowed, unsure of how to respond. No one except my parents or Art had ever really fussed over me like this, and even then, this felt… different.
"I'm okay," I said quietly, flexing my fingers as if to prove it. "Better than before, at least. This arm… it feels weird, but good weird, I guess."
Cynthia hummed softly, brushing her thumb over the back of my hand. "You scared a lot of people, you know. Myself included." Her eyes met mine.
"What you did… pushing Kathyln out of the way like that… It was brave, but reckless. You could have…" Her voice caught for just a moment before she exhaled and steadied herself. "Promise me you'll be more careful next time."
The weight made my chest tighten. I nodded quickly, not trusting myself to speak. "I promise."
Her expression softened again. She patted my knee affectionately before sitting back slightly. "How's your head? Any dizziness, pain?" Cynthia asked.
I chuckled lightly, shaking my head. "I'm just a little tired, that's all. Nothing hurts… not anymore."
"That's good." She offered a small smile. "Still, don't overexert yourself, alright? You've been through enough."
Cynthia lingered there for a moment, her hand still lightly resting on mine as if letting go would somehow make me crumble to pieces.
She exhaled softly, as though making a decision. "Elias," she said, her voice warm but cautious, "The Royal Families are waiting to hear what happened yesterday. They want to understand the attack… and what you did."
She hesitated, her thumb brushing the back of my hand again. "But I need to know if you're feeling well enough to go and speak with them? There's no shame in saying you need more time."
'Families? As in plural? I already know the elf princess is here… So is it such a stretch that her folks are here too?'
"I'm okay," I nodded with a newfound conviction.
Alright," she said, giving my hand one last squeeze before standing. "But remember, you're not doing this alone. I'll be with you the entire time."
That reassurance settled some of the weight pressing on my chest. I nodded and pushed back my blanket.
I found myself wearing a white shirt and black drawstring shorts.
'Who changed my clothes?'
My legs were stiff when I swung them over the side of the bed. my feet met the cold polished floorboards. Cynthia was already there, offering a steadying hand as I rose to my feet.
We stepped out into the hallway, where the soft morning light filtered through tall windows, painting the stone corridors in a gentle glow. The air smelled faintly of flowers and clean linen, a calm contrast to the storm of nerves building in my chest. My footsteps were quiet on the carpeted floor. Cynthia kept a gentle pace.
When we finally reached the large double doors leading to the meeting chamber, two armoured guards stood at attention. They bowed respectfully as Cynthia approached, then pushed the doors open with a low creak.
I caught my first glimpse of the chamber beyond.
Tall gilded pillars rose toward the ceiling. Banners from every royal house hung along the walls. And at the far end of the room, seated around a long table, waited the most powerful people on the continent.