Suddenly a form flopped from the bush and staggered before them, before toppling to one side after a feeble attempt at running. It was little more than a foot tall, and it was quite strange to the eye; coloured with an azure hue, and it looked like a cross between a young woman, and a fairy, for it had the slender figure and features of the woman, but the wings and airy features of the fairy kind. Amelin jumped, taken aback by the creature, whilst Lania cast him a smug grin, obviously ‘impressed’ by his lack of confidence with something that came barely up to his knee.
Upon leaning in for closer inspection, Amelin was greeted by a savage knock on the head, with what seemed to be a tiny club. He let out a grunt and stared at the being as it came too,
“S.. stay away – You don’t.. want to mess..”
And it collapsed again.
He rubbed his head tensely and ignored the sniggering laughter floating on the calm night air from behind him, as Lania preyed upon his misfortune. They usually argued and such problems between the pair had sparked from their early life.
They had known one another from childhood, having both grown up in the Old Kingdom. There was only three days parting their births, Amelin being the elder of the pair. In their childhood they had never seen eye to eye, constantly getting into fights, experimenting with their magical abilities upon one another – Much to the upset of the one getting turned into a frog or perhaps a kitten. On their eighteenth birthdays they had left their kingdom to become wanderers and had run into company. After that they joined and travelled together, perhaps it was their fear of being alone that kept them together, their nomadic lifestyles, or something that went deeper than their constant arguments. As of now they returned to their city together for the annual winter festival of the Snow Elves.
After several minutes, a silent conclusion was made that something would have to be done about the new arrival.
“So..” Amelin started, “What do we do with it.”
“Leave it I suppose..” shrugged Lania, “After all, it tried to injure you..”
“But just look at it. I doubt it really wanted to do any harm – It was probably scared..”
A sardonic grin played her lips, “You have a point there. If it had wanted to damage you, it could have picked something a lot less thick than your skull.”
He grunted, not in the mood to retaliate to her icy attacks. Letting his hands slip under the tiny being he picked it up and carried to the fireside. Lania was already retrieving her hip flask, offering the small being a few sips of water in hopes of rousing it. It’s eyelids fluttered as it drooped into consciousness, groggy and disorientated. It shuffled to sit up, wobbling constantly and looked between the two. Sparkling sapphire eyes shimmered in its fear as it watched Amelin and Lania, it’s club disregarded a few feet away.
“Hello little one,” Lania smiled, her inner warmth blossoming past her hard outer exterior, “tell me, who are you?”
There was a flutter of wings then the creature answered, “Astra.. the Lady Astra.”
Amelin’s eyes widened as he looked to her, “You are the Lady Astra of the Ebony Realm. High Priestess of the Air Elementals?”
She nodded and wrapped her arms around her frail form, “Yes.. But..”
“But..?”
“But while I was out gathering ingredients for a sacred offering, something happened. Something went wrong, I became drowsy and felt odd – I must have picked the wrong herb, inhaled the spores and.. and... Now I can’t find my way to the entrance of my realm.”
Silent tears where creating glittering paths across her tinted skin as she looked toward the fire, her hair moving wispily on a self created breeze by the powers of her element.
“I know..” Lania’s voice sounded as two heads turned to her, with inquisitive stares.
***
“I know where the entrance to the Realm is. We past it, not too long ago Amelin. I say we take the Lady home, we can do it now. We won’t loose time.”
He gave a sort nod and then helped the little elemental to her feet before retrieving his weapon. Lania followed suit and stamped out the fire, best be left out in fear of it spreading and harming the woodland.
The three trooped through the forest again, the fog having dispersed by now, only the pallid moonlight was there to illuminate the ground, with stars dappling the inky night. They pair backtracked down the hillside until Lania raised a fine hand to stop the two who followed before an opening to a cave. It looked fathomless, and a sense of foreboding crept through all three as they watched the entrance.
“How do you know this is it Lania?” Amelin enquired.
Lania muttered elfish incantations beneath her breath so a barely visible carving on top of the rock formation shone up an iridescent blue, the symbol of the Air Elementals.
“That..” she grinned smugly, whilst pausing for emphasis, “Is how I knew.”
And so, knowing they had found the right place, the trio entered slowly. Weapons where drawn and more incantations uttered so the swords blades would glow and light the way, for no matter how good their sight was; it was no match for the inescapable cloak of shadow that dripped of every rock and wall inside the cavern. After an age of walking, stumbling and irritated curses they came upon a statue of the Goddess of the Air, the chosen Goddess of Astra’s people. Lania let a slender brow perk and looked at the old carving before muttering a low,
“What now..?”
Amelin shot her daggers as he stepped beside her the little Elemental muttering incoherent words as he hissed, “Well done, now we’ve reached a dead end. Aren’t you smart.”
Lania was opening her mouth to retaliate, in the most vicious way possible, when the statue begin to emit noise. It started as a gentle humming, then progressed to what sounded like a song. Finally an enchanting voice echoed around the cavern,
“Who wishes to enter?”
“It is I, the Priestess Astra, and two elfin companions.” Answered the little elemental, her head bowed in respect.
“How can I trust these outsiders?” Enquired the voice.
“I..” Astra started, but the voice interrupted.
“I cannot. You desecrate my city Astra. You are allowed entrance, but these who know, must loose that knowledge.”
Lania and Amelin exchanged glances then poised themselves, ready to fight. But the Goddess did not have ‘fighting’ in mind. The darkness seemed to crawl over the ground, creeping toward them. It slithered over their bodies, with an unquenchable hunger and Lania let out a yell as it snaked over her torso, around her neck..
“Amelin!”
His icy eyes darted to her as he tried to grab her, pull her close. Protect her. This was more than instinct now. His reasons for staying by her side besides their arguments was clear – His animosity had blossomed into other feelings; a closeness, a friendship, companionship; love. But she was gone. The shadows had taken her and where crawling around him now.
“Please!” He yelled into nothingness, his voice seemed to echo everywhere, “Please, listen! Spare her, you can have me! I apologise for the insult we caused by arriving here, but spare her life!”
As soon as the words escaped him the darkness sped back to the corners and cracks of the cavern, everything as it was before. And there was Lania, her eyes wide, still fearful as she looked toward him. Soon his arms were about her, holding her protectively, holding her in a way they had never shared before. And she returned the embrace. What she had seen was the shadows enveloping him, not herself and in turn she offered her life for his. In the same way she did for her.
The Goddess’ voice echoed again, “Well done. You have passed my test..”
The pair frowned at each other, a test? This had been a test?
“I could not allow you to enter unless you held pure hearts. And your love for each other stretches far beyond that. Each offered their own life for the other. So now I allow you to my city..”
The wall of the cavern began to open, drawing back on itself, revealing a city that sparkled with an unseen glow. Crystal homes, palaces and temples danced with all the colours of the spectrum and more, it was a beautiful sight. Despite this, neither elf was looking at the beauty of the Air Elementals city, but at one another.
And with that, they made a silent revelation – They felt love for one another. Leaning forwards they both drew close, and shared a kiss. They would travel again tomorrow, but for now, they would bask in their realised feelings and perhaps they could evoke anther right of the winter Ceremony – It was always the approved time for marriages..