"...ugh."
A dull ache pulsed behind my eyes. "Am I dead?" I grumbled as my eyes slowly strained open.
It was bright, not blindingly so, but compared to the cave and its bioluminescence, the sun's warm rays that beamed on me seemed just so warm.
Its light streamed through towering windows that were draped in deep blue curtains, bathing the room in soft gold. Shelves lined one wall from floor to ceiling, each packed with books that looked older than my self-proclaimed grandmother. A fireplace crackled quietly opposite the bed, its gentle warmth chasing away the lingering chill that clung to my skin.
I drew in a slow breath through my nose.
Fresh linen. Polished wood. A faint hint of herbs lingered somewhere nearby, blending with the soft sweetness of burning incense. It was warm too. Comfortably so. Gone was the damp chill of the cave that had seeped into my bones.
It was unfamiliar, sure, but that beat lying atop a bed of stone every day of the week. So I'm not going to complain about it.
I pulled the duvet up towards me as I enjoyed its warmth.
"Mhh..." A content sigh escaped me before I froze in my bliss.
"...Wait." I exhaled, coming to a startling realisation.
"How the hell did I get out?"
I frantically felt both myself and the surrounding softness that I lay upon.
"Where the hell am I?"
My head snapped from one side of the room to the other.
"I'm not in a cave anymore..." I patted the softness of my duvet, "Definitely not…"
I blinked several times, half expecting the crystal and moss-covered walls to return if I looked hard enough.
Thankfully, they didn't.
"Okay..." I muttered, rubbing at my eyes with a deep exhale. "I'm glad I'm not going insane. That's... probably a good thing."
My gaze wandered towards the chair beside me, and the grey-haired woman who slumped within it.
"Grandma?" I mouthed, "What is she…"
She sat with one arm folded across her stomach while the other rested atop a thick leather-bound book that had long since slipped shut in her lap. A loose strand of silver hair had escaped the neat braid trailing over her shoulder.
She slept as well. Faint shadows rested beneath her eyes, while the lines around them seemed deeper than I remembered. Even asleep, she wore the sort of expression that never truly relaxed.
"Ahh..." I hissed beneath my breath as every joint clicked in protest.
Apparently, Avalon could stop me from dying. Though convincing my joints they weren't eighty years old was another matter entirely.
I reached for and rolled my shoulders, easing the lasting sluggishness of my rest.
"Hmm…" Cynthia stirred, edging away from her slumber.
Her brow furrowed before one eye cracked open.
She blinked once. Twice.
Her eyes snapped open as she stared at me wide-eyed.
After taking a moment to admire my devastatingly good looks, she finally asked, "Lias?"
"Morning?" I offered with a slight nod.
The chair scraped loudly across the wooden floor as she shot to her feet.
"Oh, thank goodness."
Before I could react, she wrapped both arms around me.
"Oof." I groaned at the force she held me with.
She held me tightly enough that I wondered if Avalon was about to get another chance to practise repairing ribs.
"You foolish child," she murmured.
Her voice wavered.
"I heard what happened from Arthur... and Vanesy."
My brows knit together.
Vanesy?
...Oh.
Professor Glory.
"You gave us quite the scare."
I awkwardly patted her shoulder as she pulled away from me.
"Sorry?" I laughed awkwardly, "But you knew I'd be fine, you know…" I gathered a wisp of golden flame in my open palm before dismissing it just as quickly as I closed my hand.
"I know, Elias," she smiled, her eyes watching my hand. "It's just I can't help but worry for my students… my grandson." She smirked.
She reached up and brushed a stray lock of hair from my forehead before giving it a gentle flick.
"You certainly have a talent for keeping my heart under constant assault."
"I've been told it's one of my better qualities."
"I somehow doubt that."
A laugh escaped me, though it quickly turned into a wince as something beneath my ribs reminded me I wasn't quite finished healing.
Cynthia noticed immediately.
"Does it still hurt?"
"It shouldn't," I groaned, leaning the rest of my weight back against my smushed pillow.
"You're not invincible, Elias…" She smiled as she pulled the chair a little closer before settling back into it, though this time she sat upright, her posture carrying the familiar grace she'd always possessed. The exhaustion hadn't vanished from her face, but at least she no longer looked ready to fall asleep where she sat.
"I've been unconscious for... what? A few hours?"
She laughed as she gave me a sympathetic smile. "It's been two days."
"..."
"...Two entire days?"
Her eyes flickered to the delicate silver watch that lay atop her left wrist. "It's been just under forty-one hours since Alea returned with you. That's not even counting how long she was also unconscious for, and from what I heard from Virion in the report she gave the council, it wasn't short."
"I see…" I shifted beneath the duvet, finally noticing that I wasn't wearing the clothes I'd entered the cave with. I slowly looked towards the older woman. "And… Who changed my clothes? Please say it was my mother or Arthur…"
"That doesn't matter; you needed to be changed, and that's that."
I let out a low grumble as I looked to the white expanse above me. "How's Art and the others?" I glanced back towards her. "Is everyone alright?"
"They're fine, for the most part, a little shaken up but all in one piece."
That's good. A smile grew involuntarily on my face before my mind finally recalled the events towards the end of my excursion into the dark.
"And Alea? How is she?" I sat up straighter as I unleashed a volley of questions. "You said she brought me back here, so I assume that I managed to heal her up?"
"The healers are still monitoring her condition, as her injury was one of both mental and physical trauma. Though they've admitted there wasn't much left for them to do, in terms of 'patching her back together'."
"Your flames are truly magnificent," She added with a smile.
"Um, Grandma…" I asked slowly, "Where are we?"
---
I craned my neck back.
"...Bloody hell." I groaned, almost stumbling over myself as I stared up at the dark oak doors that towered over me.
They stretched high, nearly touching the arched ceiling several metres above; its surface was carved with winding patterns that framed the silver crest of Dicathen. An emblem only revealed to the public a few months ago, with it being a single silver dragon holding a sword in one hand and a sceptre in the other.
Even the door's handles looked expensive. Polished brass curved into the shapes of roaring lions, each one nearly the size of my forearm.
I set both hands on my hips as I clicked my back, easing the pain my leaning had brough to my already sore body.
"...Compensating for something?" I muttered.
Cynthia let out a quiet laugh beside me.
"I'll be sure to pass that question on."
"I'd rather you didn't."
She smiled to herself before looking back towards the doors.
"They've been waiting ever since word reached them that you'd awakened."
I let out a shallow groan.
As we drew close, a pair of guards standing on either side of the entrance straightened almost in unison.
One reached for the handle.
The other pulled the opposite door.
With a low groan, the great doors drifted inward.
"...Wow."
The chamber beyond was larger than I'd expected.
Sunlight poured through towering windows overlooking the sea, filling the room with a pale glow that bounced across polished stone. A long table occupied the centre of the chamber, its surface smooth enough to catch the light like still water.
My attention wandered almost immediately.
Just like the corridors, every visible wall had been carved.
Strange runes twisted around pillars before disappearing beneath the windows. Some looked almost elegant.
Others...
I frowned at one that stretched across an entire archway.
"This is definitely interesting…" I muttered, my eyes still tracking the glyphs for any pattern I might recognise.
I failed to do so, as my attention shifted back to the curved high table and the faces of those who sat at it.
Seven people whom I had come to know surprisingly well for a commoner watched me with intrigue.
In the middle sat the Elf Elder Virion, Tess's Grandfather and my future Grandfather-in-law via my brother.
To either of his flanks sat his son, Alduin, and his daughter-in-law, Merial, both of whom watched me stumble into place with faint smiles on their faces.
To Alduin's left sat the Human royals, My Friend's parents, and the pair I had come to know best from my various trips to Etistin over the years.
To Merial's right sat the Dwarfen royals; the pair sat in their stout forms, plump as they stared down at me like I was fresh meat.
A shiver ran up my spine, and a stabbing feeling burned my right forearm as I recalled our first meeting.
Coming to a stop just below and before them, the faces of another 3 people became visible. Each set of royals, like at the Summer Series, all those months ago, sat with a lance tall behind them.
Varay, Kat's guardian and former tutor, stood with a faint smile on her usual icy face, hovering behind the Glayders.
A woman I was unfamiliar with but did recognise stood behind the Eraliths. She had dark hair, a rather unusual feature for elves, yet her name still escaped me.
And last and certainly not least, my favourite of their little family, Olfred. He smirked down at me, likely reminiscing on all our fun times together.
After a moment of silence that had grown uncomfortable from both sides of the table, I broke it.
Stepping forward, I let out a slight cough. "Is it just me, or am I having déjà vu?"
A hearty chuckle escaped the old elf as he leaned back in his chair.
"I was wondering how long it would take before you said something."
"I considered pretending I'd forgotten how to speak, though I figured, seeing as I'm the one who got summoned here, one of the great leaders of our continent would've said something first." I smiled, looking over the seven before me.
King Blaine let out a quiet laugh while Queen Priscilla covered her mouth with a gloved hand.
"It would appear your sense of humour recovered before the rest of you," Virion mused.
"I had priorities."
"I can see that."
He studied me for a brief moment.
The humour never quite left his face, though there was something else beneath it.
Relief.
"I'm glad to see you awake, Elias."
"Thank you, Elder, though that bed was quite comfortable."
Queen Merial rose from her chair.
The movement drew every eye in the room towards her as she made her way around the table.
She stopped in front of me.
Close enough that I instinctively straightened my posture.
"Elias."
There was something gentle about the way she smiled.
Not the sort reserved for dignitaries, like I had seen from Grandma whenever she had to deal with the parents of nobles. It was closer to the sort Mum wore whenever Arthur or I came home after doing something stupid.
"...Yes, Your Majesty?"
She shook her head.
"Please."
"Just Merial."
"...I don't think I'm brave enough for that."
A soft laugh escaped her.
"I wanted to thank you."
I blinked in surprise.
Thank me?
"... Might I be so bold as to ask, as for what?"
"For bringing Alea home."
Oh… That would make sense. She is one of the Elven Lances, and due to their race's unique longevity, she and Alea had likely known each other for decades.
Decades…
How old is-
"Please stop that," she said curtly.
It was in my distraction that I hadn't noticed King Alduin had joined his wife in standing before me.
"Alea told us everything she could remember." He smiled down at me.
"Enough for us to know that she would not be here today if not for you." His wife added.
"I just happened to get lucky and stumble upon her."
The elf placed a hand upon my shoulder as she smiled down at me.
"Elias, you saved her life, the life of a dear friend," she teared up as her breath hitched slightly. "Thank you."
With a nod of approval from Alduin and a pat on my back, he shepherded his wife back to their seats.
A cough drew my attention past them towards a smug-faced dwarf.
"Elias, it's been far too long!" the Dwarven king smiled.
Not long enough…
"Indeed, your highness, it has been." I nodded reluctantly. "How have you and your lady Queen been? I saw you both in attendance at the Summer Series a few months back; I hope it was to your standards."
"It most certainly was," Queen Glaudera smiled, "A shame about the final, but it was a great opportunity for the unveiling of Rhea to the continent."
"Rhea?"
"Our daughter!" Dawsid beamed, "She's just the most adorable little thing in the whole world."
He swooned talking about his child; I couldn't blame him for that fact, and I'm glad that he did because that child had really seemed to change the once grim and selfish king. The issue I had with it, however, was the fact that he did so for nearly 20 minutes.
"I-I see…" I nodded, "She sounds like quite the delight…"
"Oh, she is!" he smiled back at me. "Oh! You should join us for supper; I'm sure a hot meal would do you the world of good, and it would give you the opportunity to meet her."
He watched me expectantly, his eyes never leaving me.
"...Thank you for the offer." I smiled. "Really. But if it's all the same..."
My mind drifted as I scratched the back of my neck.
"I'd like to go home and see my family."
---
I stretched high above me as I roared out a yawn.
"Someone seems tired," Cynthia smiled as we rolled to a stop.
I looked out the window at the familiar building just beyond the window, my home, the home I had grown up in.
"Good thing we're here then. Do you need any help getting out?"
"No," I nodded lazily. "I can-"
The door swung outwards as my mother and father burst into the small carriage.
"Elias Reynolds Leywin!" My mother cried as she pulled me tight against her collarbone. "You are going to be the death of me!"