Elias Leywin POV
I let out a groan, pressing a hand to my head.
What happened...
My thoughts felt sluggish, as if I were stuck in fog. Slowly, my eyes opened, then adjusted to the soft light that seemed to filter through the air itself. I squinted and raised a hand to shield my face, then slowly pushed myself upright.
It's so quiet...Too quiet.
No birds. No wind. Not even the faint hum of insects. Just silence, the entire world seemed to hold its breath.
I pressed my palm against the ground, the blades of grass cool and strangely unmoving under my touch. I rose to my feet, brushing my clothes off and looking around.
I stood in the middle of a vast meadow, an endless sea of flowers, swaying gently even though there was no breeze. Blues, purples, whites, and golds stretched to the horizon in every direction.
Wait, am I in...
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," The girl said, covering her ears as she appeared from a swarm of petals.
What the hell...
"Impressive, right?" she laughed, the usual grin I had almost grown used to plastered on her face.
"It is," I responded, slightly bewildered.
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 a few moments, I stopped dead in my tracks and deadpanned at her.
"Lias?" she questioned with a slight tilt of her head.
"You called me 'My Prince' as I faded away last time... Why did you call me that?" I questioned in turn, my grip involuntarily tightening around her hand.
Nimue froze for just a second, the confident grin slipping, replaced by a flicker of something unreadable in her violet eyes. Then, just as quickly, it was gone.
"Did I?" she asked lightly, tilting her head in that infuriatingly carefree way, 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."
I could feel my frustration simmering just beneath my skin. "You're avoiding the question."
"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 out, tone sharper now. "I deserve to know what's going on. Why am I here? What are 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 questions 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, though her tone carried an undertone of something I can't place. "Come on, we're almost there."
We walked in silence for a while, the meadow shifting gradually into dense, towering trees. Their branches arched overhead like the ceilings of Castle Glayder, filtering the strange soft light into shifting patterns across the forest floor. I glanced around warily, noting how eerily quiet it remained, like the world itself was holding its breath.
I couldn't take it anymore.
"Where the hell are you taking me?" I inquired, 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?"
I groaned, dragging a hand down my face. "You're impossible."
"And yet," she laughed with a teasing lilt, "you keep following me."
I didn't dignify that with an answer, though my grip on her hand tightened just a little. Part of me hated how much I trusted her despite everything.
After what felt like several minutes of trudging through the endless, silent woods, we emerged into a clearing bathed in a pale, golden glow. My breath caught in my throat as my eyes fell on the object at its centre.
A spear.
It stood alone, embedded deep in a weathered stone, its hilt gleaming faintly as if made of captured moonlight. Strange runes crawled along its length as tendrils of silver grow, shifting like a living script I couldn't decipher.
All I could do was stare for a long, long moment.
My hand slipped free from Nimue's as I took a mesmerised step towards the lance. "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 says softly, "is where it all began."
I turned to her sharply. "Where what began?"
She only gave me that same unreadable 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 spear.
"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?
I'm still here?
In this place, after Nimue's left.
And she did say this place was my memory.
So...
My eyes returned to the blade embedded before me. I swallowed hard, my throat dry as my gaze lingered on the sword. The pale glow surrounding it felt alive, almost as if it were aware of my presence. The shifting runes seem to pulse in rhythm with my heartbeat, calling me closer with every second that passes.
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, a mix of anticipation and unease.
"This is 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, studying the spear more closely. The stone it was embedded in was old and weathered, cracked in places as though it had been here for ages. The actual weapon, however, was pristine, untouched by time or decay.
It had faintly glowing veins of silver weaving through it like rivers of light. The runes writhed faintly along the steel, elusive and incomprehensible no matter how hard I tried to focus on them.
I reached out, hesitating just inches from the grip. My fingers twitched. Something deep inside me screamed at me to touch it.
My brow furrowed. "What does she mean, 'where it all begins'...?" My thoughts spiralled with unanswered questions. If this was my memory, why can't I remember this place? Why does the sight of this sword make my chest feel heavy?
Another heavy breath left me as I stood up and took another step towards the embedded blade.
I stared at the spear for what felt like an eternity, my heart hammering against my ribs. The pull towards it only grew stronger, like an invisible thread binding me to the hilt. My fingers flexed nervously at my side as my mind raced, caught between fear and a strange, unshakable certainty that this is what I was meant to do.
With a deep, steadying breath, I stepped closer and wrapped both hands around the grip. The leather felt warm under my palms, almost alive, pulsing faintly in rhythm with my heartbeat.
For a moment, nothing happened. The blade 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 Spear shifted. The stone beneath my hands cracked, light spilling from the fissures like molten gold.
And the world exploded into brilliance the moment the sword left the stone.
~~~
I raised my hand to my face as I groggily opened my eyes.
"I'll never get used to that..."
I muttered as my head spun. I gripped my forehead, letting out an exhale in the process.
After a few moments, I lowered my hand and held it palm up just over my lap as I sat up in...
Where am I?
What happened...
I questioned myself as my right hand immediately jolted to my left shoulder.
It's here...
My hand slid down the baby-smooth flesh that now formed my arm.
I poke it.
Huh huh hu
It's soft...
A goofy grin grew on my face as I felt the weird pain, or rather lack thereof, in this new arm.
I eventually removed my right hand from my other arm and raised my left hand.
I opened and closed said hand a few times as I got used to it.
I placed both palms together, lining up my fingers, checking for any 'irregularities'.
I parted my hands.
Aside from a mild numbness sensation that eventually faded, it felt and looked identical to my old arm.
I sat there for a few moments, thinking, trying to remember every little detail about what had transpired in the attack.
I pushed Kathyln away so I know she's safe... hopefully.
I lowered my Pinky finger.
If I assumed that Varay and some of her colleagues were present, then Curtis and his parents are safe too... hopefully.
I lowered my ring finger.
Master is Master, so she's fine.
I lower my middle finger.
I well...
I lower my index finger.
But what was that spell I used...
The heat it gave off within and around me was incredible, it was far hotter than any fire magic I have encountered, thus far in my life, at least.
Why didn't it require a chant?
I just uttered a single word, and the spell came to life, overpowering my attempt at a wind lance.
How did I...
I let out a heavy exhale.
I sat up, staring down at my hands as I held them together just above my lap.
I began to let mana flow from my hands as motes of Green and yellow gathered together, and a sphere formed just above my palms.
I let the now football-sized construct of mana sit there for a few moments, letting it stabilise.
When I used that spell, it came to me upon instinct, but if I could replicate its feeling...
"Then I can..." I murmured to myself as the sphere's shape elongates, 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...
"That's very impressive, Elias." I heard a warm voice from just beyond the doorway.
I jumped slightly in my bed, causing the spell to lose its form as the mana returned to the surrounding air.
"I-I-uh... good morning?" I stammered, unsure whether I should feel embarrassed or relieved that she caught me experimenting with magic in my still half-dazed state.
She stepped inside, closing the door softly behind her, and the faintest hint of a smile curved her lips. "Good morning, Lias," she said, her tone light but laced with that unmistakable grandmotherly warmth that I have come to associate with her. "You have been up for a little while, haven't you?"
I glanced down at my hands, still tingling faintly with mana. "Just... a bit," I admitted sheepishly. "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. The moment she's close, she reaches out and places her hand over mine, her touch gentle but grounding.
"I was worried about you," she started, giving my hand a light squeeze. "After everything that happened yesterday... and seeing you hurt like that..." Her gaze flickered briefly to my left arm, and 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 have 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 humed softly, brushing her thumb over the back of my hand in a soothing motion. "You scared a lot of people, you know. Myself included." Her eyes meet mine, serious now.
"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 in her tone made my chest tighten. I nodded quickly, not trusting myself to speak without my voice shaking. "I promise," I said, and for once, I meant it with every fibre of my being.
Her expression softened again, and she patted my knee affectionately before sitting back slightly, though her eyes never stopped scanning me for any sign of discomfort. "How's your head? Any dizziness, pain?" she asked, seemingly slipping into fussing grandmother mode.
She pressed the back of her hand to my forehead, checking for a fever as though I were still a small child, and for once, I didn't mind it.
I chuckled lightly, shaking my head. "Just a little tired, that's all. Nothing hurts... not anymore."
"That's good." She offered a small smile, but the worry didn't fully leave her face. "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. Her eyes, kind yet sharp, are searching my face like she's reading every flicker of emotion I couldn't quite hide.
Finally, she exhaled softly, as though making a decision. "Elias," she said, 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."
I glanced down at my lap, my fingers twitching. The thought of stepping into a chamber full of kings, queens, and the continent's strongest mages sent a nervous shiver through me. I drew in a slow breath, clenching and unclenching my new hand once more.
"I'm okay," I replied quietly, though there was a tremor in my voice. I looked up at Cynthia, trying to sound braver than I felt.
Her lips curved into a soft smile, though the concern in her eyes didn't fade. "Alright," she said, giving my hand one last squeeze before standing. "If you're certain. But remember, you're not doing this alone. I'll be with you the whole time."
That reassurance settled some of the weight pressing on my chest, and I nodded, pushing back my blanket.
I found myself wearing a white shirt and black drawstring shorts.
'Who changed my clothes?"
I thought to myself, sending a slight shiver down my back.
My legs felt stiff when I swung them over the side of the bed, my feet meeting the polished floorboards. Cynthia is 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, and Cynthia kept a gentle pace beside me, ready to steady me if I faltered.
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.
My breath hitched as I glimpsed the ornate chamber beyond gilded pillars, banners of the royal houses draped high on the walls, and at the far end, a long table where the most powerful people in the Continent awaited.
WC - 2876
Thanks for reading this chapter. Hope you all enjoyed it. 😊
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Special Thanks to Lancelotdragonroad for editing this Chapter.
If we're all still alive, the next chapter will be released at 12 likes or on Wednesday.
Rius out.