LIGHTNOVELONLINE 123. The Truce
“You’re… you’re one of my ancestors that came to Felra!”
The Ruffy smirks and gestures his arms to his sides. “Prince Keuvonis A. Lordanou, in his original flesh.”
“Keuvonis?” I ask, crossing the meadow to approach him. “I’ve never heard of you, before.”
“Sadly, none of the records from those times survive,” he sighs, brushing some dirt from his coat sleeve. “But I am the youngest son of my mother, Candice. Her existence was only preserved through spoken word until it could be written on paper again.”
My tail quirks. “Queen Candice? You mean, the first Queen of Ellyntide?!”
“Our family’s matriarch,” Keuvra smiles.
I can’t believe this. In the Farlands, the existence of a Dragon deity is nothing but speculation. But not only is Keuvra real, he’s a Lordanou! From the founding of the Kingdom, no less!
My ancestor continues, “As you know, us deities were apotheosized from mortal beings when the continents rose. In a cosmic quirk of irony, the most powerful Lithan at that time was a Chimeric Lordanou, much like yourself.”
“Then is the story about you true?” I ask. “A Chimera united all the Dragon clans in peace?”
“More or less,” he chuckles, rolling his shoulders. “Though they possessed the Gift of Communication, Lithans in those times were only slightly more evolved than the prey-animals they hunted. Like you, I garnered their trust through the skills and knowledge I learned as a Lemur. I shared with them language, health, and compassion.”
“O-oh, gosh,” I laugh to myself. “I really am one of your Kin, aren’t I?”
“In a certain way, you’re more deserving of the title than any brooded Dragon.”
I smile, a certain warmth brimming inside me. Being told I’m closer to the Dragon deity than those born as Dragons fills me with a particular pride. Is this what Kuro felt when Keuvra complimented her before the flock? Perhaps I shouldn’t have been so critical of her.
Kevura echoes the smile and motions for me with his tail. I tip mine in acknowledgment.
“I believe,” he says, strolling across the meadow. “The God of Creation has faith in you because they once had faith in me.”
A cool breeze rustles the grass between my legs. “Is that why you united the Dragon clans into the Snowfell Flock? Because Azurrel asked you to?”
“At the time, I did it because Dragons were terrorizing those I loved. I figured If I could become one myself and infiltrate their flocks, then I could destroy them from within. Or, at least convince them to stop harming Ellyntide.” Keuvra pauses and turns to face me. “Azurrel hadn’t yet revealed themselves to the moon. Little did I realize they still had plans for me.”
I stare into his crimson-red eyes. “…What do you mean?”
As the words roll off my tongues, the fierce call of a Dragon splits the air behind me.
ROOOOOARHH!
I spin around and find myself on a battlefield.
Balls of fire soar skyward, and arcs of electricity crackle through the warm evening air, cast from the outstretched arms of a conspiracy of Lemurs running across a broad, tallgrass field. Clad in the strange robes from our earlier vision, the Lemurs appear to be fighting none other than a slate-gray Lithan soaring through the red-painted sky above us. With a commanding flap of its great wings, the Dragon banks hard to deftly avoid the magical attacks hurtling towards it. The air is filled with the familiar scent of scorched grass — soon, the Lithan will fly around and unleash another blast of fire onto its enemies:
Us.
“Keuvonis!”
Torn from my breathless stupor, a Ringtail splits from the conspiracy of attacking Lemurs and sprints towards me with a harried look on her face. I wince, momentarily stricken by the inane belief that I’d somehow become the Dragon deity himself. But my fear quickly dissolves as I realize he’s standing beside me, himself now wearing the same robes as everyone else.
“Lagroa!” he shouts. “Wait for the beast to fly around! Draw his attention, and we’ll concentrate on the reflection spell!”
Lagora’s tail droops. “Will we have enough energy?”
“I—I’m not sure!” Keuvra stutters in a unfamiliar moment of insecurity. “Attenuate as long as possible, then give it everything you’ve got!”
Lagora gathers her courage, and a group of symbols by her wrist begins glowing. “Yes, my lord!”
She turns on her feet and runs to join the conspiracy, relaying Keuvra’s command to ‘attenuate’. When she’s firmly out of range I turn to face the deity, his right sleeve pulled back to reveal another set of glowing symbols on his arm.
“Keuvra?!”
“Asha!” he gasps as if relieved to see me. “This was one of the battles we fought to protect Ellyntide! Soon, that Lithan will fly around and have its fire breath reflected by an Elementia spell!”
Across the young evening sky, the Lithan steadies their flight to avoid the magical attacks sailing towards it and prepares for another blast of fire. It’s at this point that I realize the modern clothes I was wearing have vanished, replaced by the robes that everyone else from this time is keen to be fitted in. What’s more, the sleeve on my right arm has been rolled up to reveal more of the strange symbols on the top of my wrist. Finally presented a closer look, they seem vaguely similar to the letter of the Goddess Language, but with some key differences is how they’re constructed.
“What happened to my clothes!?” I exclaim, inspecting the robes. “And what are these symbols on my arm?”
“You’re part of the battle, too!” Kevura uses his mundane arm to point the other. “The symbols on us are called an ‘attenuation matrix’. It draws Elementia from the the surrounding environment and tunes it for spell casting. Go on, try casting a fireball at the Lithan!”
Kevura sways his black tail reassuringly towards me, but there’s no need.
“Oh!” I chirp, having already figured it out. “You’re right. I can cast a fireball!”
Pushing aside the pertinent question of why we’re fighting a battle that has supposedly already been fought, I still my thoughts and focus on drawing Elementia into a spell. As my mind concentrates, the Lithan circles in the sky with an effortless grace, easily avoiding the magical attacks being hurdled toward it. They’re a well-trained flyer, as I’d expect a Lithan to be. To control draconic fire, you must always be conscious of the wind’s speed, direction, and nature. Unfortunately for this Dragon, I’m also well-trained. I had the best teacher in the flock: Kuro! I also know a thing or two about how fire travels through the open sky.
I extend my arm outwards, a warm flame gathering in the palm of my hand. I can’t believe it! I’m casting a real, honest to Goddess magic spell! I’m…
…
I steady my hand, taking into account the wind and aim my growing fireball slightly to the left of the Lithan. It’ll miss, that much I’m certain. But that’s precisely what I want to accomplish. I won’t indiscriminately harm a fellow Dragon.
When the fur on my palms feels like an oven, I release it, sending the ball of flame whizzing through the sky. The slate-gray Lithan senses my attack and flicks its tail to try and rise into a thermal. But that’s precisely how I knew they’d react.
ROOARGH?
They see it coming just in time. The Lithan tents its wings and drops into a dive as the fireball sails cleanly to the left of their former position in the sky. As predicted, my attack would have missed them regardless of how they reacted. But it was close enough to get their attention and force them to respond. With their attack broken up, the Lithan roars in frustration and banks hard to reposition for the next volley.
“Wow!” someone yells from the conspiracy of spell-casters.
The other Lemurs crane their necks in surprise. A wisp of smoke drifts from my outstretched hand, offering easy blame for who nearly harmed the Lithan.
“Hey, nice shot!!” A wide-eyed Ringtail exclaims.
“Where’d you find your friend, Keuvonis?” A Sifaka man breaks from the group and runs to join us. “We could use more like her!”
“Friend?” the furtive deity’s tail quirks. “Why, Asha’s a relative of mine.”
“Urk…!” The Sifaka’s fur stands on end. He quickly draws his arm across his chest, bows to me, and stammers, “Apologies, my lady. I-I didn’t know.”
For a fleeting moment, I find myself started by the mage’s unexpected obedience. But the hesitation quickly passes as long-buried behaviors from my days in the palace resurface. I straighten my back and project authority in my voice. “At ease. It is a common misconception. My likeness as a Lordanou is not well-known.”
“Save the introductions for later,” Keuvra bleats, pointing skyward. “We gotta deal with that Dragon first!”
Off in the sky, the Lithan is circling for another attack, smoke billowing from their nostrils. They’re preparing to use their fire!
ROARRGH!!
Kevura draws his hand skyward and shouts, “Asha’s attack bought us some time! Let’s get that spell cast!!”
“Right!!” The mages shout.
Unexpectedly, Keuvra darts forward to join the crowd of Lemurs, forcing me to play catch-up. Hands strain to the sky, glowing with magical light — The air is charged with a mystical energy, one I can taste on my tongues and feel in my fur. My fingers twitch as my Elementia attenuates, warping and bending to join the rest of the conspiracy’s power in an unseen reserve forming above us.
As the Lithan draws closer, I see their finer physical details. I can tell it’s a drakon by the distinctly squared shape of his forehead and the broad muscles around his wings. He soars with reckless abandon, pounding his wings to take revenge on the miserable prey-animals who nearly scorched his feathers. Can he sense the spell we’re brewing? I know we’ll successfully harm him; a deity said as much. Still, I find myself anxious. These are the images my prey saw every time I dived in desperation to keep me and those I love alive. What a terrific, terrifying sight!
“Hold the spell until my call!”
Standing beside me, Keuvra’s matrix changes color from gold to blue. His muscles tense, and his tail twitches.
“Ready!”
The drakon rears his head, tickling the unique muscle in the back of his throat. A flash of light emanates from their maw as the blowtorch of flame ignites.
“NOW!”
The energy above me releases, and my matrix dims.
Nothing happens.
For a breathless moment, I squirm as fire sails from the drakon’s mouth on a direct course toward us — the air singes, competing with the sound of my racing heart as prey-emotions overwhelm me. But before I can turn and flee, the sky glistens azure blue as a light shield instantiates in the air around us. The drakon’s fire impacts with a metallic whong, cleanly reflecting from the surface and sailing back toward the Lithan.
ROARGH?!
The drakon wails in surprise. He panics, quickly trying to reposition himself to avoid his reflected attack. But it’s far too late. Flame overwhelms his body and quickly ignites his feathers.
ROOOOOOARGH!!!
A Fronted Lemur throws his arms in surprise. “Prophet’s light, it worked!”
“Oh, my Goddess!” I gasp. “That poor…!”
I quickly clamp my muzzle. Erm, right. Dragons are supposed to be the enemies today. Privately, I feel my heart shatter for the poor drakon. His feathers are on fire!! I’ve had nightmares about that happening to me, but never the misfortune of witnessing it occur while awake. Will this drakon survive? If he does, will his plumage grow back? What if he has a brood to care for in Felra? How will he hunt now?!
The conspiracy erupts in raucous cheers, dancing and cavorting as the drakon writhes in pain. He cries out, shaking himself in a desperate attempt to put out the flames and flee to safety. As he squirms, I feel an overwhelming urge to take flight and help. I flex my wings to open them and… quickly remember I no longer have wings.
The mage’s cries fall away from me. A hollow feeling festers in my stomach, and for the first time, I lament the loss of my Lithan body. For as long as I remain a Lemur, I won’t know the exhilaration of taking flight and finding an updraft to deliver me to the clouds. The sky feels like a second home to me, and being in a body where I can’t return there feels viscerally wrong.
“Asha, we did it!”
I turn to Keuvra, as jubilant as the others. He notices my expression, and his mood quickly deflates.
“Oh,” his tail droops. He forces a pained smile and rasps, “I understand your concern. But don’t worry, Son-Of-Khahiko will survive our attack and become one of my first Kin in the combined Snowfell Flock.”
Framed against the setting sun, Son-Of-Khahiko’s pained wail echoes across the crimson sky. The mages absorb his misery and erupt in fervent jeers.
“Fweghing bastard! Go home!!”
“Yeah! Don’t EVER mess with us again!”
I turn away, negative emotions coursing through me. I’m sure this Lithan has done terrible things to Farlanders, ones which warrant their ire. But it’s wrong. Lithans are enlightened creatures! They have lives, families, hopes, and dreams like every Farlander does! Ascendants and Dragons should be friends, not enemies!
Kevura lowers his head. “Perhaps we should move on from here,” he concedes.
“To where?” I ask.
“The next scene!”
Keuvra speaks, but not from before more. I turn to his voice and discover the battlefield erased; The world changed anew. I find myself in a forest clearing somewhere deep inside Felra. Dense evergreens surround me, indicating I’m somewhere in the Great Valley... at least, I would be in the modern world. Somehow, this forest differs from the ones I’ve become familiar with as Kin.
A small conspiracy of Lemurs stand before us, four total including Keuvra. Two of them are centered in the clearing, gazing intently at the frozen ground beneath us. The other is positioned on the far side of the trees with their hand resting gently against the scabbard attached to their belt. No longer in mage’s robes, they have attire more befitting an adventurer, stained and torn from their undoubtedly long journey through Felra to reach this location. There’s a chill in the air, and the sky is bleakly overcast.
“It all started here,” Keuvra says, standing beside me. “This was where I discovered the power of the Chimera.”
I turn to the deity, clad in the same outfits as everyone else. “You…? You discovered it?”
“Oh, yes,” he nods with reserved pride. “In just a few moments, I’ll become the first ascendant to transform into a Dragon.”
I stare at him, slowly blinking. Keuvra was the one who discovered the power of the Chimera? Just how many incredible things did he accomplish as a mortal? But if Keuvra was the one who learned how to turn into a Dragon, then that means… “This is where that monument was erected. The one Gust led us to in the snow.”
“It was appropriate, no?” Keuvra seems pleased that I quickly made the connection. “Mother thought it was ‘unbefitting,’ but discovering the power of the Chimera unified Felra and saved Ellyntide. If it weren’t for this moment, the Kingdom would have never risen.”
As my mind strays in wonderment, the Lemurs in the center of the clearing finish their work. “My lord!” a female Ruffy shouts. I recognize her as Lagora, the one I saw in the battle against Son-Of-Khahiko. “We’re ready to begin.”
“Hey,” I interject, tapping the deity on his shoulder with my tail. “If this is where the monument will be erected, then how come there’s no snow on the ground? It was nearly up to my stomach when I came here as a Lithan.”
Keuvra gazes across the clearing and exhales a drawn-out breath. He closes the sides of his button-up shirt and gives me a reassuring smile. “You’ll see.”
He crosses the field, passing the two retreating Ruffys who come to stand next to me. Even though I’ve just met them, they seem comfortable in my presence. Could they be my ancestors as well?
“I take it the attenuator is prepared?” Keuvra asks, inspecting the ground.
“Yes,” Lagora replies. “You’ll find the one with the highest purity in the center.”
Keuvra lowers himself and runs his fingers through the frosty grass, inspecting the objects left there. He pulls back his hand, and… No way. It couldn’t be! I gasp, drawing those beside me. Inside Keuvra’s hand is a distinctly shaped stone, the shape of which I instantly recognize; it’s The Serpentine Diamond!!
“This one,” Keuvra announces. “This will be the attenuator.”
I can’t believe it. THIS is the origin of the Serpentine Diamond! Everyone thought it was a ceremonial piece from the time before the Kingdom was formed. But somehow, it was essential to discovering the Chimeric powers that transformed me into a dragon!
“My Lord,” Lagora calls. “Are you truly sure about this?”
Keuvra draws a deep breath and studies the diamond in his hand. He holds it at arm’s length, and the matrix on his arm begins to glow. “The Lithan scourge must be subjugated from our lands. I’ll do anything to protect my family. Please,” he pauses, anxiety overcoming his voice. “I—If this works, but I am no longer myself… do not hesitate.”
The Ruffys beside me glance uncomfortably at each other. They steel their emotions and promise, “We won’t.”
Blue lights, just like the ones during my transformation into a Lemur, begin swirling in the air around the diamond. Keuvra closes his eyes, and pale light grows outward from his feet like vines ascending a tree trunk, forming complex sigils similar to the ones written on his arm. A wind blows from unknown sources, causing Keuvra to stagger backward momentarily before he can regain his footing. The lights around the diamond flicker, changing from Jadian blue to Maki green.
“Damn it!” Keuvra grunts, trying in vain to somehow extend his arm farther away from himself.
Lagora panics, “My lord…!”
“Don’t come any closer!! It’s…!”
Kevura lowers his head and bares fangs, fighting against… whatever’s happening here. Knowing how one ‘discovers’ a spell would be nice, but I guess it doesn’t matter. It’s not like I’ll need to discover any on my journey to save Ellyntide.
A light begins emanating from within the diamond, identical to the one that shone during my transformation into Kin. Frost begins forming at Keuvra’s boots, spreading across the ground and coating everything it touches. I tense, startled by the sudden change in the environment, but the Ruffys beside me seem less concerned about the frost and more about Keuvra. Breathlessly, I watch the ice spread past me, rising halfway up my boots before stopping unexpectedly. The woman beside me has her arm out, the matrix on it glowing bright. If it weren’t for her, I would have been frozen.
“Rrrghh!”
The green lights begin encircling Keuvra, and the consistency of his body changes to become fluid-like. Opaque feathers begin sprouting from his fur, turning a brilliant shade of gold as they grow in size and overtake his body. Clothes recede, and legs waver. The diamond slips from his hand as Keuvra’s body collapses to the ground.
The second Ruffy staggers backward in shock. “Prophet’s light…!”
Now on all fours and growing in size, Keuvra unleashes a savage snarl as draconic instincts take hold. He opens his eyes and turns to me, a sadistic grin plastered across his elongated muzzle. The Ruffy beside me gasps, quickly moving to stand between us. As if that could help. I look past her shoulder and return the smile as wings begin sprouting from Keuvra’s back. He snarls again, this time much louder than before.
“Oh no!!”
Lagora grabs my hand and pulls me backward, separating us from the growing Dragon. We sprint to the trees, now covered in thick sheets of frost and ice. I turn back to see Keuvra, fully grown, his golden feathers shimmering from the dimming light of the Serpentine Diamond. The transformation is complete! The newest Lithan splays his wings and lets out a savage cry.
SKREEEEAK!!
The Lemurs cover their ears and stagger in shock, resisting the urge to retreat into the frozen forest behind us. Lagora flashes me a worried glance — is she concerned about how calm I am? Hmm. I should probably learn to act more scared of Dragons, especially when one is standing right in front of me. I exaggerate a gasp and cower slightly towards Lagora. Yeah, that’ll work!
Keuvra lowers his head from the sky, ruffling his iridescent feathers. He surveys the cold forest surrounding us, tastes the air, and then finally senses prey-animals nearby. The beautiful gaze of a pair of crimson-red eyes falls onto us.
“L-Lord Keuvonis?” Lagora stammers. “My Lord, can you understand—”
GRRRRR…
“Eep!”
The mages raise their arms, readying a spell should Lord Keuvonis try to attack us. But surely he wouldn’t do that, right? How do the rules of these visions work, anyway? Keuvra holds his head above us, muscles tensed, and fangs bared. Whatever’s truly happening right now, Keuvra is resisting the urge to turn us into an easy snack.
“Keuvonis!! It’s me, your trusted thane Lagora! Please, you must remember!!”
The Dragon studies us, lip twitching. He furrows his eyes and shakes his head back and forth.
GROOOOWL…
Lagora pleads, “You’ve been traveling with us, searching for an attenuator pure enough to uncover the spell that turns you into a Dragon! You are not a senseless monster! You are a Lordanou!”
At that, Keuvra’s eyes open wide. He stares at us, panting heavily. “Okra…” he mumbles, speaking in the language of Kin. “Kree…”
“Yes…” Lagora trails off, trying to inject calm into her voice. “Keuvonis, can you understand me?”
“Wait.” The male Ruffy quickly motions his tail to silence Lagora. He steadies himself and transmits,
The deity stares bug-eyed at him. He shakes his head and tries to calm his breathing.
The mages retreat a step, their tails drooping to the ground. Keuvra’s words also unnerve me but for an entirely different reason. Sooner or later in my quest to restore Ellyntide, I’ll have to ally with ascendants as Kin. Will I have the same trouble trying to distinguish friends from prey?
Lagora’s breathing picks up.
Slowly, Kevura settles against his haunches. He ruffles slightly, then cranes his neck to study his new draconic body. He flexes his hindtalons, revealing a deadly set of rock-hard claws. He draws open a wing, marveled by the intricate movements of feathers shifting back and forth. The sight of it dislodges a memory from my own transformation when I performed the same awestruck ritual.
Lagora and the male Ruffy trade glances. This doesn’t sit well with them.
Lagora’s breathing begins to calm. She runs her fingers through her ruff and muses,
Keuvra splays his wings abruptly — the sudden sound of feathers shifting causing the mages to flinch. He tests his wings with a gentle flap and my hair flutters in the breeze.
<…Powerful.>
As the deity finishes speaking, something within me feels strange. Confused, I brush my fingers across my stomach. But in the time it takes me to look down, the scene around us dissolves into darkness, and so does my physical body. It slips away from me, sinking into the void like a cold mountain river tumbling over an endless waterfall. Feeling and sensation are stolen, leaving only my thoughts and a pale blue light amongst the emptiness. I’ve become formless again, drifting unbound through time and space.
Time passes — a year or a second, I can’t be sure. Through numbed thoughts, I recall the last time this happened to me during a vision from Gust. My light begins to flicker — what’s going on? What happened to my body?!
Oh… I’m scared. That’s why I’m flickering.
From the darkness comes Keuvra’s voice, calm and reassuring. Long strands of light come into existence and coalesce into a golden form like mine. For some reason, its presence next to me is… calming. The light bends to interact with my own, and my pain begins to subside. Slowly, I stop flickering.
…I can? Doesn’t communicating with my thoughts use Elementia? How is my soul using that kind of power?
…
If I could just…
…
Keuvra’s light dips as if he were nodding.
Oh… kay. Setting aside the insinuation that the life energy from Maki is alive,
My light dims slightly.
Slowly, darkness fades, and the world is reformed anew. A force acts against our spirits, propelling Keuvra and me forward. We find ourselves amongst the clouds in daytime, the golden shape of Lithan Keuvra flying through the sky before us. On his wing is an Avian — specifically, a rainbow-plumaged Conure, — clad in clothing that’s unfamiliar to me.
My light expands.
Lithan Keuvra notices an island below us as we drift through a cloud. Covered in snow and ice, the island sits in a frozen sea; the ancient ocean. Keuvra steadies his neck and calls out to it.
SKREEAK!
“Oww!” Scew glowers, angrily flapping his wings. “Don’t be so loud!”
Lithan Keuvra grunts,
Scew runs his beak across his chest feathers. “Honestly, do you want this meeting to go well or not?”
“Maybe for us, but not those who are moonbound. Don’t you care about your family in Ellyntide?”
Keuvra’s expression turns glum. He averts his gaze and transmits,
“Um, okay,” Scew downbeats a frustrated flap. “If you’re going to be weird about this, just let me do the talking.”
SQUAWK!
He pounds his wings, quickly working to correct himself. When his flight stabilizes, he peers down to watch Keuvra sail through the clouds below.
“Honestly…”
The mortal deity tilts his wings and begins to descend through the clouds. As he does, so to do the souls of Keuvra and me.
Still drifting beside me, Keuvra’s light brightens.
Wait, really?
We’re flying to Truce to observe the meeting between Azurrel and the mortal deities?!
My light brightens as awe overwhelms me.
Well, of course, I do. Every citizen of Ellyntide knows the answer to that. But if he’s positing the question, then I feel I’m about to be proven wrong.
…Oh.
The meeting between the deities isn’t going to go well, is it? For that matter, is it even safe for us to be talking about opposition to the God of Creation so openly?
Subservient?
I’ve never heard of our relationship with Azurrel described with such disquieting words, much less by a deity. In fact, heretical talk is explicitly forbidden by the church in Ellyntide. What does this mean? When I contemplate the implications of a deity speaking this way, it makes me feel like the strands of my faith are being pulled apart at the seams. What’s real? What’s true? Once more, this conversation has challenged so much about my perception of the moon.
Eventually, we find ourselves floating over Truce, coming to rest above a snowy plain near the ocean’s edge. Frozen water extends to the horizon, an astonishing sight I’ve never seen so clearly. Much as it is in modern times, vast chunks of ice are scattered like confetti across the water, creating a labyrinth of hazards for boats daring to sail through them. One such vessel happens to be moored near the edge of the water, and a group of ten or so animals are milling about on land, working a campfire. But it’s further inland and almost directly below us that we find the animals we’ve traveled here to see, as told in every story about the raising of the continents.
Jaya, the Rabbit. Malfex, the Marten. Scew, the Avian. Etain, the Lemur. And, absent from every version told in the Farlands: Keuvra, the Dragon.
They’re gathered near each other, the ascendants wearing thick clothes padded with feral hides. I can’t feel the cold in my spirit form, but it does look awfully chilly. A breeze is blowing around us, kicking up snow and causing the ascendants to occasionally shield their faces from the icy gusts. The only one who doesn’t seem bothered is Keuvra, lying on the ground with wings folded tight against him. I wonder why he isn’t shielding the others?
Spirit Keuvra’s light brightens, and we descend closer to the ground. It’s probably a good thing I’m just a floating ball of light because I’d be going a little bit nuts if I still had my physical body. The meeting between the mortal deities is the most fabled gathering in the history of… well, ever! And now I’m about to witness it happen right before my eyes!
…
Or, um. However I’m watching all of this happen. I probably shouldn’t think about it too much.
As we drift closer, I begin to make out the conversation below.
“…don’t know,” Jaya says, speaking in a voice more shrill than I was expecting. “They told me the same thing, that we would leave our Kingdoms and become ‘divine’ animals.”
“What does that mean?” Malfex Asks, rubbing his brown paws together. “How can one being undo the damage that Elementia has caused? What are we sacrificing to save ourselves?”
Jaya’s fuzzy white ears droop to their sides. “I was told the same.”
“As if you know anything about sacrifices.”
Brimming with contempt, Scew’s voice rises above the mortals. The suddenly hostile Avian takes a provocative step towards Keuvra with one wing drawn outward but keeps his matrix dim.
“Whoa, hey!” Malfex squirms in surprise.
Keuvra issues a curt growl like he was expecting Scew to interject. He tenses his golden wings and rumbles,
Scew shouts, “You’re one of us, Keuvonis!”
“You kept your mother’s name, yet you prey on those you used to know! How could a monster like you be offered an audience before Azurrel?”
A tension cold as ice hangs in the air. Nothing is spoken as the two mortal deities stare each other down, watching to see if the other acts with aggression. Malfex holds his breath, standing beside Jaya with his sleeve drawn back to reveal his attenuation matrix. Could he really take sides and join a fight? How do the politics in this time work, anyways? I’m unsure what’s happening, but this could get ugly fast. A breeze blows through the gathering of mortals, casting a cloud of snow into the frigid air.
Keuvra’s spirit broadcasts a hearty chuckle.
“Is this what you want?” Scew asks, his voice slow and firm. “To test your little theory right now?”
As he claps his golden beak shut, the matrix on Scew’s arm begins to glow a bright red. Just how powerful of an Elementia user is he to openly challenge a Lithan?
Keuvra’s eyes narrow to slits, and a low growl rattles against his chest.
“STOP!”
The Goddess rushes forward, placing hands across Scew’s rainbow-plumaged wing.
“Could you two put aside your differences for just one second? Or have you forgotten we’re here to save our Kingdoms from extinction?!”
Kevura and Scew exchange steely glances. Slowly, the Dragon’s feathers relax, and Scew’s matrix dims.
Etain continues, “This isn’t the time for petty bickering or tearing open old wounds. We have to demonstrate to Azurrel that we’re worthy of being saved, that we can ascend to the paradise they’ve promised us.”
A strange voice, both distinctly masculine and feminine, alternating as if many animals were speaking as one transmits from behind me. I sense the sound of wings in flight, and the gazes of the mortal deities are drawn past spirit Keuvra and myself. A small, blue-plumaged prey bird splits the gap between us, a trail of dappled light falling at their tailfeathers. They come to land before the mortals and neatly mantle their wings across the snow.
So, it’s true — in all the stories from ancient times, Azurrel is depicted as a small, glowing prey-bird. And here they are! I… can’t believe I get to witness this. Countless stories have been written about being visited by the God of Creation in their winged form, and now I’m living it! Or at least, I’m living a vision of them created by a deity. Oh, and their voice! Nobody has ever described what Azurrel’s voice sounds like! This is all so, so incredible to witness!
The mortal deities are surprised by Azurrel’s appearance but visibly guarded. Based on their conversation from earlier, it stands to reason they’ve been visited by God at least once before.
They begin transmitting to all assembled.
This all sounds correct. It is recorded in the history books that after the continents rose, Azurrel tasked the newly apotheosized deities with shepherding their respective species. The ‘natural order,’ as they described it, was sacred. Still, at this moment, the mortal deities seem guarded against Azurrel. Have the stories of our ascension and what differentiates us from ferals not been passed down? Could this be the first time they’re learning about it?
Azurrel pauses and begins preening the feathers on their wing. As the deities glance between themselves, a strange feeling comes across me. I can’t explain why, but it seems spirit Keuvra is judging Azurrel’s introduction. Does he believe Azurrel was lying?
Stepping past Jaya, Etain projects her feeble voice forward. “And, you can truly undo the damage caused to the environment?”
Malfex side-eyes Scew, who’s already staring at him. He turns to Azurrel and asks, “But it’s not that easy though, is it? We would become subservient to you, the one who supposedly granted us the ability to speak. But how would another environmental catastrophe be prevented?”
the God of Creation transmits.
The mortals wince, shocked at the revelation.
Azurrel nods.
The mortals gaze between themselves like a tragedy just occurred. It seems strange to me, but surely that’s because I know life will flourish and go on to become the Jade I‘m familiar with.
Scew shakes his head in dismay. “This is unfathomable. How do you expect us to live without Elementia?”
“Yeah!” Malfex adds. “We can’t so much as cook a meal without being able to cast fire!”
Scew looks particularly shaken. He draws open his talons and stares at the matrix across his feathers. Just moments ago, he seemed confident enough to challenge a fully-grown Dragon in battle. Now, he’s fighting with the revelation that to save the Avians, he’ll need to become as weak as the prey-animal Keuvra claims he is. To willingly give up that kind of power must be devastating.
Conversely, Keuvra seems far less worried. His wings are folded to his sides, and his tail is still. After spending two seasons as a member of the Snowfell Flock, it isn’t hard to understand why. Losing the power of Elementia is far less of a blow to creatures who can naturally breathe fire. Still, I wonder what life in the flock was like back then? How did they leverage living as the apex predators of the moon with the incredible power to cast magic spells? That sounds fweghing awesome!
“What a terrible outcome,” Etain speaks in a meager voice, barely audible. Her long, brown tail wraps around her body like a scarf, as if she were trying to comfort herself. “I grieve for the lives that would be irreversibly altered. How will I explain to Ellyntide that this was the correct decision? That we can learn to adapt without Elementia?”
Azurrel pulls his head from his chest and glares at Etain.
W-What?!
Azurrel draws his wing in our direction, and the faces of the mortals fill with shock. Can they see us?!!
It usually happens!? What is Keuvra babbling about?! I don’t usually get called out by God eight centuries in the past!
“W…What?!” Malfex trembles, his tail flicking behind him.
“Spirits in the mortal realm?” Scew questions, pointing an accusing talon towards us. “And they’re from the future?! How can this be!?”
Just then, a wave of strange emotions wash over me. Although I have no physical form, it feels like someone is peering inside my soul, examining all the constituent parts that make me Asha. My light dims alongside Keuvra’s and then returns to normal. At the same time, mortal Keuvra roars in surprise.
RAARGH?!
Dragon Keuvra stares at spirit Keuvra, unable to believe his eyes. Does he… no, he couldn’t possibly know that, could he?
“Keuvra?” Jaya asks. He takes one step toward the Dragon before stopping unexpectedly. “Is… everything alright?”
Keuvra says nothing, his body frozen as his eyes remain affixed on the spirit version of himself from the future. While Keuvra remains shocked, Etain looks disturbed.
Her eyes have settle onto me, piercing like daggers.
Does she… know how I am? A Lordanou from the future? A Princess from the Kingdom she’ll soon shepherd into the sky? It only takes me a second to decide against replying to her. What if I tell her something that alters the future? I don’t want my first conversation with the Goddess to doom the Kingdom forever!
Azurrel lowers their wing, seemingly content with the temporal exchange that’s just occurred. As it folds to their side, the mortals blink in confusion.
“They disappeared,” Malfex says.
“This must be some kind of trick!” Scew declares, ruffling his feathers. “How can spirits travel from the future? If you…”
The Avian’s voice trails off as I get lost in my thoughts.
Slowly, my light returns to normal.
The… living Azurrel?
Does he mean this prey-bird in the snow is God? Like, the real one?
Keuvra continues,
My light contracts, turning as white as the snow around us. <…Why?>
This is Azurrel. I’m the first mortal in centuries to witness God.
…
I get it; I lack a physical form. But I still feel like a prey-bird being tossed about in a gale. Keuvra doesn’t seem bothered by Azurrel’s presence here, but I sure do. For all my life, I’ve been led to believe that the God of Creation was kind and benevolent — a superior being that took pity on us enlightened species and became our saviors. But what I’ve seen today challenges that perception. Azurrel seems… conniving, intensely concerned with their perception of themselves. Why would they need to control how animals feel about them? Keuvra says they don’t have some kind of ulterior motive, but I’m not sure I believe that. What could it be?
…
I… shouldn’t be thinking these things. This isn’t a good line of thought with a deity and God in my presence.
I watched the rest of the gathering in silence. There were more revelations, including some surprising ones about Gust. The mortals were concerned about how the species would be forever separated and what that meant for those who mingled in other Kingdoms. But eventually, all the deities acquiesced and agreed to lead their species into the sky.
As the conversation begins to drift towards what it means to be a deity, Keuvra’s light dims from existence, and the world turns dark — it seems the scene is changing again. Where could we possibly go from here? I feel my own light dissolve, and all the world is darkness for a moment.
All of the world except Azurrel.
The avatar of God remains, their glowing body illuminating a patch of snowy existence as they work to preen their feathers. I get the impression they’re trying to make themselves presentable, much the same way my mate works to impress me with her impeccably groomed feathers. Azurrel raises their head, cranes their neck, and stares at me with shimmering, azure eyes.
For a timeless moment, I feel their presence.
They turn from me and take flight, growing smaller until darkness envelops them.
My physical body reforms, and my soul is reinserted. Sensation returns to me, sight and sound and feeling and wonder. My feet plant the ground, cool and moist from dew forming on blades of grass. A short distance away is Keuvra, gazing at our ancestors as lies in repose against a fallen tree trunk.
“After the continents rose, the serenity between Lemur and Kin was short-lived. As the land warmed, Ellyntide was slow to adapt. Unable to to feed themselves, they came to rely on prey-offerings from the flock. But deprived of the ocean’s bounty, so too did the flock strain for prey. We were forced to expand our territory against false-kin, hunting deeper into Felra to stay alive. Eventually, the elder’s patience wore thin. Our friendship with Ellyntide ceased, and the memory of such an alliance was lost to time. Even the great Elder Tree, the living symbol of our once inseparable bond, was forgotten. You are the first Lemur in centuries to learn its true origins.”
A hollow feeling festers in my stomach. Dragons could have been a regular sight in the skies of Ellyntide if things had gone differently. With Felra as our allies, Ellyntide would have never fallen to Nortane, and the flock would have a more reliable prey source. Kin could survive frostwing without worrying about starvation, and Ellyntide would be safe from the threats of other nations. It would have been wonderful.
“Why are you telling me these things?” I ask, approaching the tree trunk. I sit beside Keuvra and curl my tail around my legs. “No other deity has spoken so openly to an ascendant about our past.”
“Others have,” Keuvra says. “It’s those who listened that decided to hold secrets.”
So, I’m not the first to learn these things? Could that mean Mom knows about Keuvra and our past with Felra? If so, she’s choosing to conceal a vast portion of our history from the Kingdom. But after hearing all these incredible stories, I think I understand why. What would happen if the world learned magic is real but is being concealed from us? What if someone tried to reactivate Elementia and use it against their enemies? Could such a thing even be possible?
“Besides,” Keuvra looks to our ancestors and smiles. “Nobody’s stopping me from telling a few good stories.”
After a moment’s thought, I come to an unsettling conclusion. The ‘nobody’ he’s talking about isn’t hypothetical: it’s Azurrel. Azurrel allowed Keuvra to show me these past events.
“I see.”
“I think a little historical context was necessary to understand why the God of Creation trusts you for my Divine Flight. Our family has a proud history of serving Ellyntide, the Snowfell Flock, and the God of Creation in tandem. My story as a mortal has already been written. But yours…” he trails off, and his gaze returns skyward. “It is just getting started, Princess.”
He… really expects me to do incredible things, doesn’t he? Things nobody else has done before. My tail goes limp against the grass, and my fur flattens.
“But you see it now, don’t you? A world where dragons and ascendants coexist peacefully is not a storybook fantasy; it has happened once before. It’s what us deities have longed for ever since our apotheosis. And finally, it seems the God of Creation wants it too. I don’t mean to put so much on your shoulders, Asha. But all of us here are hoping you succeed.”
Try as I might, I can’t muster a response. To bring me to his den and show me all these incredible events from the past… Keuvra truly has faith in me. Everyone does! Kuro, the Kingdom, my Mother… everyone is counting on me. Everyone and everything is against my wings.
“No pressure!” Keuvra laughs, throwing up his hands.
“I’ll try my best, I really will!”
For a time, our ancestors watch us from above, and we watch them back. But eventually, the reality of my situation catches up to me: It’s terribly late, and my body is exhausted. I exhale a mighty yawn, one that would make any Dragon jealous.
Keuvra lowers his gaze and smiles. “You should head back to White Mountain.”
“Mmh,” I sleepily mumble, dragging my fingers through my ruff. “I have so many more questions… but I have a feeling I’ve learned enough for one day.”
Keuvra shrugs his shoulders and smirks. “Perhaps you’ll be able to ask the Goddess about them.”
The Goddess, huh? Obviously, I can no longer commune with her at our palace in Varecia. But Etain is worshiped in Sarlain, too. No doubt, Princess Lucy and King Finn must commune with her regularly. If I can form a rapport with Lucy, maybe I could convince her to let me talk to the Goddess!
My tail twists happily. “I like the way you think.”
I jump from the fallen tree and step into the clearing, contemplating the meaning of everything I’ve learned today. For as long as I draw breath, I’ll remember the time I visited the Dragon deity in his den.
“I think you should return as a Lemur,” Keuvra suggests. “Khosa deserves a good scare now and then.”
“That would be funny,” I laugh. “But, this form is no longer mine. I’m just borrowing it.”
And besides, how would Kuro react if I returned as a Lemur? I don’t want to scare her or hurt her feelings. Kuro is far too important to me to play pranks on her.
“Fair enough,” Keuvra smiles.
I step away from the deity, pacing across the field to give myself enough room to transform into Kin. But as I do, something important crosses my mind.
“Actually,” My tail twirls as I turn back towards Keuvra. “Before I go, there’s something I need to ask.”
Still against the trunk, Keuvra recrosses his legs. “For you, I’ll answer it as best I can.”
I smirk — obviously, he’s only allowed to influence events under special circumstances. But for a deity that’s lived for hundreds of years, he sure can be charming. If Keuvra was a part of the Lordanou family today, I’m confident I’d have another Lemur to call my friend.
“When I arrived here, you told me a mortal was responsible for my transformation into Kin. Who was it? And how could a living mortal control the power of the Chimera?”
“Hmm…” Kevura gazes at our ancestors and brushes his ruff contemplatively. “If the true nature of who you are becomes known, then the one responsible for your transformation will seek you out.”
I watch him closely, studying his expression. “Are they my enemy?”
For a silent moment, the deity is motionless. Then his face changes, turning to become unexpectedly stern. Like a storm on the horizon, he rumbles, “That’s for you to decide, Princess.”
Oh…kay. Keuvra knows I plan to go to Sarlain and seek Lucy’s help to restore Ellyntide. So, that must mean the animal who changed me is someone powerful, someone capable of finding me no matter where I travel in the Farlands. It has to be someone from Nortane who commands Crow Wing. Not even Lucy wields that kind of all-reaching power. Needless to say, it would be really bad if I encountered Crow Wing as a Lemur. No matter what happens in the Farlands, I must keep my Lithan identity secret until Ellyntide is restored. Otherwise, it could truly spell the end of Ellyntide.
Kevura’s expression returns to a smile. “Let it stew for a while. Perhaps you’ll figure it out.”
“Yeah…” I trail off. “Um, thanks. Thanks for everything today.”
Keuvra rises from the trunk and curtsies like I’d expect a Lordanou gentleman should. How did he get so good at doing that, anyway?
I exhale sharply. No more fooling around. I’ve enjoyed my time as a Lemur, getting to re-experience all the emotions I longed after for so long. But it’s time to turn back to normal.
I close my eyes and focus on my Elementia, This time, the transformation is more lucid; I can feel the changes occurring in real time as blue light surrounds me. Bones pop and rearrange themselves while muscles recede and regrow in different places stronger than before. The changes aren’t painful, but a snarl nonetheless escapes me as wings pop from my shoulder blades and quickly grow in size. I rumble, comforting myself in the familiar sensation of power vibrating against my chest. A sinister laugh follows — I can’t believe I want these changes to occur. It wasn’t that long ago that I thought of my transformation into Kin as the most traumatic event of my life. Now it feels like I’m returning to the body I was always meant to have. What a strange and exhilarating sensation.
I feel grass beneath my talons and wind blowing against my feathers. I open my eyes to see the tree canopy below me, just where it should be. My transformation is complete, and I couldn’t be happier. I missed being a Dragon! Acting on reformed instincts, I raise my neck skyward to let the world know that I’m so happy to be back!!
SKREEEEAK!!
But as my head levels out, something is awry. There’s a prey-animal standing in front of me, and it isn’t cowering in fear. In fact, it looks happy! What’s going on?! I snarl, lowering myself into a defensive position. Where’s this creature’s fear-scent? Who do they think they are, standing so confidently before a mighty…
…
“Oh!” I chrip. “O-oh, jeez. I’m so sorry!”
I quickly fold my wings and dip my head in apology. Oh, my Goddess!! I just thought about preying on Keuvra!
“It’s quite alright,” he laughs, looking oh so small below me. “As you perform more shifts, your rationality will be quicker to return.”
“T-That’s good to know…” I raise my head, trying to keep my hunger in check. Undoubtedly, this will be the first of many conversations I have with ascendants as Kin. I need to learn how to control these emotions under control. “Well, um. I suppose I’ll get going.”
Keuvra smiles and dips his head. I mantle my wings and cast about, approaching the portal back to the elder’s den. As cross the field, my mind flutters. There are so many things I need to digest from my time with Keuvra. How will I share them all with Kuro? Obviously, I can’t tell her Keuvra is a Lordanou. He asked her to leave so she wouldn’t have to face the realization that her deity was born as a prey-animal. But at least I can tell her I got to see the meeting between the deities and Azurrel. I also learned a few exciting things about Gust. Hopefully, that’s enough to sate her curiosity.
But as I approach the portal, something else crosses my mind — something I regret doing. “Oh, um,” I mutter, turning back to face Keuvra. “I’m sorry that I told the flock about Gust.”
“It’s quite alright,” Keuvra says, brushing the dirt from his sleeve.
“Are you sure? How are you supposed to influence events now?”
“Well, if you happened to ask the flock about him, they’d have no idea to whom you were speaking.”
“Really?” my head tilts. “But, I told…”
As the words drift through my fangs, Kevura’s smile widens.
“…Oh.”
My wings droop to the ground, and an uncomfortable feeling forms inside my stomach.
“Try not to do that again,” the deity sighs. “I don’t particularly enjoy manipulating those sorts of things.”
“Right, right." I dip my head and turn to approach the swirling mists, only to stop and turn around again. “You’ve never… done something similar to me, have you?”
Keuvra’s expression is unflinching. “Warm currents, Daughter-Of-Kelani.”
I loosen an uncomfortable smile, tip my wings to the deity and step through the portal.