An Inheritance of Fire

Viria watched with a mixture of revulsion, concern, and satisfaction as the healers knelt over Vanis’ unconscious form. A blue glow enveloped their hands as they prodded the mage’s arms, then moved up to her face.

One of them– an elderly elf– grabbed Vanis’ face with both hands, kneading her face with both of his hands. They came away covered in blood. “Still alive. But the bone has broken. There will be scarring.”

Voralei’s eyes fixed on Viria at those words. “Your guest assaulted– and nearly killed– one of mine.” There was a hint of smugness in his voice. “You know what that means, don’t you?”

Viria looked at him– and laughed. Voralei turned to face her, shock clear on his face. “You think this is funny?” He asked incredulously.

“Yes. I do.” Emboldened, Viria strode up to the Grovetender, staring up at him. “Do you want to know why?”

He fell silent– as did all gathered.

“You and your games have sentenced our forest to death– and our people to one slower and more painful. Did you think some form of loyalty brought me here?” She laughed again. “Perhaps it did– but I hold none for you. What have you and yours done to instill such a thing in me? You separated me from my sister. Exiled me.” Rage crept into her voice as she spoke. “Despite all of that– I love the forest. It’s my home. And now you– all of you,” she spat, “will die. Is your greed so important as to sentence our race to extinction?”

“You dare–”

“I do. So strike me down.” Viria tilted her head, exposing her neck. “I’ll take solace in knowing that your end will be infinitely more painful.”

No one moved so much as twitched a finger.

Viria gritted her teeth. “What are you waiting for? Do it!” Those last words, torn from her mouth, spurred Voralei into action. Striding unsteadily to the nearest guard, he tore their sword free. “Fine,” he spat. “I’ll do it myself.”

With that, the Grovetender took a step towards Viria, swinging the weapon with both hands. It was slow and sloppy, but its aim was true. Viria closed her eyes and waited for the end to come.

It never did.

Something rushed by her, knocking the strike to the side with a metallic clang. “Easy, there, girl,” a gruff voice sounded from Viria’s side. “Let’s not give up on your life so easily, now.” She opened her eyes– and gasped. It was Valandor.

“Sel. Wake up.”

A familiar voice drifted down from above, gently pulling Selerim from his slumber. Opening his eyes, he found himself greeted by the familiar twilight of Umbra– and by Senri. The scattered streaks of silver starlight were more brilliant than ever before, giving her ash-grey hair a shimmering luster.

“Mmngh.” Selerim groaned as he sat up. “How long was I asleep?” He asked, rubbing his eyes. “It feels like… it feels like it’s been a while.”

“Not long.” Senri’s voice was full of concern. “Are you okay? You don’t look too good. Maybe you should sleep a bit more. There’s still plenty of time until we leave.”

“Yeah,” Verad chimed in. “Otherwise I’ll take you on right now. A win’s a win, isn’t it?” He cocked his head to the side with a grin.

Saya kicked him in the shin. “Oh, shut up. You’ve never won against him. I don’t think that’s changing sometime soon.”

Something audibly cracked. Selerim looked for the source, only to find nothing. “Did… you guys hear that?” He asked tentatively.

“Hear what?” Verad raised one eyebrow. “Maybe you really are losing it.”

Crack.

“... That,” Selerim whispered.

“I don’t hear anything.” Senri leaned forward, reaching up to press one hand to his head. Her hand was cold. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

Crack.

“... Yeah,” Selerim said softly. “I’m fine.”

Crack.

Crack.

Crack.

“But you’re not.”

She tilted her head curiously. “What do you mean?”

Selerim reached up, taking her cold hand in his own. He turned it in his hand, memorizing every crease on her hand. “You’re dead.” Tears welled up in his eyes. “I buried your bodies the night Cress burned.” They began to fall. “And I burned everyone else. Corvus. Your mother. Your father. Everyone… Everyone’s dead.”

Senri smiled at the last two words. “You’re right,” she said gently. “We’re dead.”

“Then why are you here?” Selerim asked between sobs. “To torment me? I can still hear your voices.”

“No, silly.” Senri slipped her arms around his waist and pressured up against him. Her body was still cold. “We’re trying to tell you that it’s not your fault.”

“But it is. If–”

“No,” she said firmly. “It’s not.”

Selerim wrapped his arms Senri, pulling her close. “I miss you. All of you.”

She smiled, then pulled away. “We miss you too. Did you think we didn’t? But we belong to different worlds now. Just remember– we are creatures of darkness. Like you. A small part of us will always be with you. But for now,” Senri stepped forward and tapped his forehead. “You need to wake up.”

When he woke, Selerim found himself slumped over in a small wooden chair. “You’re awake.”

The voice, though gentle, made his head throb. Looking up, he saw the girl from before– the one who’d knocked him out. Clearly elven, she sat across a table placed between them; but the similarities ended there. Her eyes shimmered with a multi-colored luminescence, shifting into new hues with each moment that passed. Green, blue, purple, red– very color imaginable. But there was something else that bothered Selerim. Something that he couldn’t quite place.

She held a simple white teacup in her hand. There was a simple wooden bracelet around her wrist. “I hope you enjoyed your dream.”

Selerim chased away the last of his weariness. Can she read my mind? She said something similar before. About her scars. His eyes drifted to her arm. It was a rupture. There was no doubt about it. If she’s a mage… He reached for his sword, and was shocked to find it at his waist.

“There’s no need for that,” the elf said, setting her teacup back down with a clink. “Like I said, this is no rupture– and I am no mage.”

Selerim inadvertently growled. “Get out of my head.”

“Fortunately– for both of us– I’m not in your head, Selerim. Nor are you in mine, for that matter.”

“How do you know my name? We’ve never met before.”

“True enough, but I know you. And I believe you know me, too. Just think about it for a moment.”

Selerim hesitated. He’d never seen her before; of that, he was certain. And yet, there was something… familiar about her, past the scars. And her disorienting eyes. It hit him a moment later.

“You’re Viria’s sister… He struggled to find her name. “Veile.”

“Correct. Although to be precise, we are twins.”

“I…” Selerim’s head throbbed. “Where am I?” For the first time, he took in his surroundings. They were seated in the middle of a clearing– no. Not a clearing. An orchard of some sort. There were a countless number of saplings planted. They stretched in every direction as far as the eye could see.

At the center of the orchard, a single tree stood. It was larger than any he’d seen so far. Its bark was deep blue in color, and its limbs alone blotted out the sky; filtering the sunlight into small beams that trickled down.

It was an awe-inspiring sight.

“Yes. It’s quite impressive, isn’t it?”

“... What is it?” Selerim asked, despite his misgivings. There was clearly something different about this tree, but he couldn’t possibly ascertain what.

“Yggdrasil. Every tree that you see here in Vasoria was borne from it.” Veile swept a hand out over the orchard. “And if it dies, so too does our forest.”

“Then…”

“Yes,” she nodded. “Burn it, and our country perishes.”

Selerim stared at her. “Why are you telling me this?”

“Because I need you to trust me.”

“Why?”

“Because you care for my sister. As do I.”

“Viria…” He trailed off, then bolted upright, remembering what he’d done before being knocked out.

“Stop,” said Veile forcefully. “There’s nothing you can do right now. And even if you could, you have no idea where to go. So sit. My sister will be safe until we are done. I give you my word.” A smile tugged at her lips. “And for the record, you can trust mine. Not that you have much of a choice. Unless you'd like to be knocked out again? And further waste our time?”

Selerim slowly sat back down.

“I’m well aware that this is not an ideal first meeting. Despite my words, our time is not infinite. Ask me your questions: I will answer them all, save for two. I promise.”

He took a deep breath. There were many questions tearing through Selerim’s mind. He chose the two most important. “Where’s Nyx? And Viria…” He trailed off. “How can you be sure she’s safe?”

Veile nodded expectantly. “You and Nyx will be reunited shortly. As for my sister… well, someone else is taking take of her for now. But we shouldn’t linger. I know you have more questions. Ask them.”

Selerim took another breath, forcing his thoughts to steady. “Viria… your sister. She’s convinced you hate her. Why?”

The elf’s expression darkened; equal parts anger and sadness. “You’ve seen the way that they treat my sister.”

He nodded.

“They turned the country against her with their lies. Let me make myself clear: I love Viria. What happened was no fault of hers. She always has been– and always will be– the single most important person to me.” Her voice turned harsh. “And I hate what our people have done to her.”

“So… what?” Selerim started. “Why am I here?” He asked, frustrated.

“Because what Vanis said is true enough. You hold a blade to my country’s neck. I may not care for Vasoria, but Viria would be saddened by its destruction.” Veile smiled bitterly. “You’ve seen it yourself, haven’t you? She loves the forest– and the forest loves her back. Even if our people are another matter entirely. I would like to protect her from that. And I need your help to do so.”

Selerim nodded, remembering the delight Viria showed upon their return. “How…” He trailed off. “How do you know all of this? You may have captured Nyx, but you can’t possibly have seen– or heard– all of that. She would’ve known.”

“Correct once again.” She paused. “You’ve seen my sister’s powers, yes?”

He nodded again.

“Then you know that someday, she’ll be the most powerful being in the world. Even if she quite realize it yet.”

“But what does that have to do with you?”

“My sister and I are two parts of a whole. She is power; I am knowledge. Each is useless without the other. Knowledge, however… can be shared.”

Selerim growled. “Why do you all speak in riddles?”

Veile smiled. “It’s no riddle.”

“So… What? You just know everything that happened?”

She shook her head. “No. I know everything. Past, present, and future.”

Selerim stared at her incredulously. Rage followed a moment later.“That means–”

“Yes. I knew that your village would be destroyed.”

“And you want me to trust you?” He snarled. “You could have warned us.”

Veile languidly took another sip from her cup. “How? Viria told you. Our upbringings were much the same. And, unlike her, I have no power.”

“You expect me to believe that? You disabled me so easily.”

The elf shook her head. “I wasn’t the one who knocked you out.”

“But you blocked my attacks so easily.”

Veile laughed. “I promise you, that was no easy feat.” She set the teacup back down. “The slightest mistake, and my bones would have shattered.”

“Then how?”

“I told you. I represent knowledge. If I know something, then it’s only a matter of preparing for it.”

“And that’s not power?”

“It is not. A mage could strike me down from afar. And, in the face of overwhelming power, all the knowledge in the world is useless. Just as power is useless without the knowledge to wield it. It took me six months to prepare for our little skirmish– and even then, I came close to death.”

“I… don’t understand. If you know everything, then how did you come close to death? Shouldn’t you know that, too?”

“Correct– but also not.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

Veile lifted her teacup–

“None of us is capable of changing the past.”

– And slammed it down on the table. It shattered, sending white running across the table. “But all of us play a part in shaping the future. Now, there are no futures where I can take a sip of tea. It’s like that. If I can control a situation, I can decide the outcome… up to an extent. That’s why I may have seemed a little… crazed. There’s also the matter of time. It’s not as as if all the information is in my head already. I have to actively search– and that takes time. All I can do is stack the deck.”

Selerim hesitated. “Why me, then? I’m nobody. An outsider. If you truly know everything, then why not just take control? Surely you could…” He trailed off as it struck him.

Veile nodded. “Exactly.”

“Your uncle’s belongings. You took them.”

“Indeed I did. And I’ve been carefully sowing the seeds for this moment ever since.”

“... So why haven’t you helped, then? I thought you cared about your sister?”

“I already have. Valandor.”

“...”

She smiled. “You thought it was strange, didn’t you?”

“So why me, then? I’m an outsider.”

The elf closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them again, they were filled with hate and anger. “Because I hate this country. I would burn it to the ground– but that would make Viria sad. So this is the better option. And… there is another reason.”

“Which is?”

“Auvun.”

“Auvun?”

“The Reaver that you Feasted on.”

Of all the things she could’ve said, that was the last thing Selerim expected.

Veile tilted her head to the side with a slight smile. “You knew it wasn’t a normal Reaver.”

He nodded slowly. “But what does it matter? It’s dead.”

“That is one of two questions I will not answer.”

Selerim growled. “Why not?”

“The future has not yet been decided.”

“How am I supposed to trust you if you won’t answer my questions?”

“Because I’ve tied a noose around my own neck– and I’m going to hand it to you.”

“What?”

“The man my uncle told you to find. Veril. I killed him.”

“... What?”

Veile smiled, completely unperturbed. “And now you have a blade to my neck, as well. If you decide you can’t trust me, feel free to use it.”

“Why did you kill him?”

“Would you kill someone else to protect Gwyn?”

Selerim answered without hesitation. “Yes.”

“Then we have a mutual understanding. And I’m not asking you to help me for nothing. I offer you these, as well as my own aid.” As the elf spoke, three items appeared on the table: a sword, a mask, and a small book. The sword looked like the one Viria’s uncle had passed on; but rather than a mottled green, it was deep violet in color; as were the mask and book.

“A sword?” He asked.

Veile nodded. “I know it’s not your weapon of choice, but wood is too fragile for a chain and dagger. Especially considering the way your people abuse your weapons. This,” she picked up the sword, “will never match your own in durability. But you’ve already seen that it repairs itself. And,” she said meaningfully, glancing down at his waist, where Verad’s sword hung. “You still need to return that one, don’t you?”

Selerim’s chest tightened. “And what about these?” He gestured to the other two items. “I have no need for either.”

Veile pushed the book over to him. “You should take a look at it before deciding that,” she said gently.

Selerim picked it up hesitantly, fearful of some trick. The dark purple cover was smooth to the touch, despite its grainy appearance. He tentatively turned the first page– and found his father’s face staring back up at him.

“Wha–”

“There’s more. Keep looking.”

Selerim did as instructed. He didn’t recognize the drawings themselves, but the people they depicted were another matter entirely.

Senri.

Verad.

Saya.

Corvus.

The pages weren’t made of paper; rather, they were thin strips of engraved wood. Tears welled as he turned to the final one. It was the half-finished drawing of Senri that he’d started before her death.

“Even if you choose not to help me, I want you to have this. As a show of my sincerity, if nothing else. You and yours were wronged. You deserve something to remember them by.” Veile leaned back. “Making it took quite some time… and more favors than I would have liked.”

“Is this…?”

She nodded. “It’s made of elderwood. You won’t have to worry about losing these moments anymore.”

Selerim closed the sketchbook with a small thump. When he spoke, his voice was raw with emotion. “Do you know who killed them?”

“I do.”

“Who?”

“That… is the other question that I will not answer.”

“Why not?!” He snarled.

“Because you and I have different priorities. My only desire is to keep my sister safe. Nothing more. But,” Veile raised one hand. “I can promise you revenge.”

Selerim’s mind whirled as he tried to process everything.

“I know much of it escapes you, but you understand nonetheless, no? There are bigger things here at play. Bigger than you, or I, or my sister. All I want is to ensure my sister’s survival in the upcoming storm. And I can give your family the best chance of survival, as well.”

Selerim felt a flash of anger at the mention of Gwyn and his mother. “Keep them out of this,” he snarled. “They have nothing to do with any of it.”

“They’re already involved,” Veile said coldly. “They come from the same destroyed village as you. Did you truly think them safe? They’re just as much a part of this as you are… whether or not you believe me.”

“Then I need to find them.”

“And that’s exactly what I’m asking you to do. I’ll even guide you to them– but I need you to be patient. Your kind is wrapped in a shroud of enigma: returning too soon will attract the wrong kind of attention.”

“So you want me to do what? Just sit around doing nothing?”

“Exactly.” Veile nodded once. “I need to stabilize the situation here. I’ve long since prepared for this moment, but these things take time. And,” her voice dropped to a whisper, “whether you like it or not, my sister’s fate is tied to yours. Did you think an Oath was such a simple thing?”

“I…”

“You didn’t. Not through any fault of your own, of course, but those are the facts nonetheless. The Oath my sister offered you is the first given to a non-elf. You would do well to understand the gravity of that.”

Selerim sighed. “I don’t understand half of what you said,” he admitted. “But you’re right. Most of it escapes me. So keep it simple. You just want me to return to my family– at the right time.”

“Correct. Just until the situation here has stabilized.”

“And how long will that take?”

“I can’t tell you for certain. There are too many moving parts. But it won’t be as long as your journey here, I can promise you that.”

“... And you can keep my sister safe?”

“Like I said, there are too many moving parts. But I’ll do everything possible to keep them safe.”

He sighed again. “As long as I don’t have to wait too long.”

“Excellent!” Veile clapped, then pushed the sword and mask over to Selerim. He picked up the sword. Though lighter and thinner than Verad’s it fit his hand perfectly. Still, the color was what stood out most. “Why is it purple?”

“Truthfully, it’s a bit of an inside joke,” Veile laughed. “As well as a bit of a misdirection. Do you know we, the humans, and the dwarves, identify your kind?”

“... No.”

“Blue eyes and blue weapons.”

“Aren’t people going to think that I’m an elf?”

“There’s still plenty of wooden weapons left over from the war. As long as you keep its regenerative properties hidden, there’s no need for concern.”

“And the mask?”

“I think you’ll find it useful.” Veile tapped the object. “There will be moments where you want to keep your race hidden. And I know your eyes are still bothering you. It will also help with the sunlight, at least a little bit.”

Selerim picked up the oblong object. The same deep violet color as the other two objects, its color was perfectly uniform, unlike the grainy pattern of the other two. “Is this also…?”

“Made of elderwood, yes. As I said, obtaining these took quite a bit of capital; both political and otherwise. But you represent my sister’s best chance of survival. This is a small price to pay.”

He sighed. “My family is my priority. You know that, right?”

Veile smiled. “I know.”

“Then what do you need me to do?”

“For now? Nothing. Just hide and wait.”

The elf snapped her fingers, and the sound of shattering glass tore through Selerim’s years again. Something touched his back. Before he could react the sound played again– and then a third time. Instead of the clearing he’d been in moments before, Selerim was in a plainly decorated room.

“Phew.” Veile exaggeratedly wiped at her brow. “That was nerve-wracking.” She stood from her seat, groaning as her arms and legs screamed in protest.

Surely I didn’t use that much strength. She took one tentative step. Her leg trembled then steadied. Good. She took another step– and pitched forward. Ah.

The same sound from before rang out, and a pair of firm arms caught her. “You’re pushing yourself too hard.”

“Mara.” Veile wiggled out of her grasp, raising her chin to look the other elf in the eye. “I told you to get the others first. You’re jeopardizing my plans.”

“A few moments won’t make any difference.” Her voice was flinty.

“You don’t know that! Not like I do!”

Veile flinched as Mara stared down at her. “Stop pushing yourself so hard.”

“... I told you. I need to push myself now, while I still can. I won’t be able to in the future.”

“Even so…”

Veile shook her head. “It’s fine. Go get the others” She forced her voice to steady. “That’s an order.”

The conflict on Mara’s face was clear, but her form blurred and vanished a moment later.

Veile doubled over as nausea washed over her, fighting the urge to vomit. “It’s fine,” she whispered. “It’s fine.” She straightened unsteadily. “I need to go help Viria.”

“Valandor?” Viria asked incredulously. “What are you–”

“Let’s save that for later.” The grizzled elf winked at her. “This is all just a roll of the dice. Nothing more; nothing less.” He held a metal sword in his hand. The bright grey blade glinted in the sunlight. Caught off guard, Voralei stumbled back. His eyes, filled with uncertainty, were fixed on the metal weapon.

“What are you doing here? This doesn’t concern you.”

Valandor audibly sighed. “Oh, hush. You know the kind of people I represent, yes?” He didn’t give the Grovetender time to answer. “Then you know that none of us care for all this ceremony.” He waved a hand. “Personally, I would recommend dismissing those gathered, but…”

“And why would we do that?” Vireldis asked coolly. “You are in the wrong here, not us. What do we have to hide?”

Valandor snorted. “In one ear, out the other. Why do I even bother?” He brandished his sword as he stepped back, standing in front of Viria protectively.

“What are you doing?” She cried out. “You’ll be executed for this!”

“Bah. You’re much too young to be worrying about someone as old as I.” Valandor half-turned back to face her. “Someone asked me to buy some time– so I did.” His eyes flicked up. “And there they are. I have an inkling that one of them really wants to see you again.”

Viria turned around, following his gaze– and stiffened as four more figures made their way on stage. Three of them were adults, each dressed in simple white robes with a single green stripe down the middle. But it was the fourth, younger figure in the center, dressed in a simple white robe that caught her eye.

Veile.

Her sister.

Joy, guilt, and shame all welled up at once. Joy at seeing her sister after so long, guilt at the sight of her scars, and shame at the memory of what she’d done.

“Veile…”

“Hello, sister. Just give me a moment.” Veile winked as she walked by. “This has been a long time coming.”

Stepping forward in front of the three Grovetenders, she bowed her head. “I greet our nation’s leaders.”

Shock rippled across their faces.

“What are you doing here?” Voralei, his face white as a sheet.

Veile tilted her head. “What an odd question. I’m here to see my sister, of course. Is that so hard to believe?”

“Why? She tried to kill you–”

“According to you,” she interjected sharply. “I know well what my sister has done. Far better than you. And yet you silenced me and separated us. I would like to know: why?”

“It was for your own good.”

“So you say. But can separating two siblings truly be for their own good? Especially when faced with the loss of their parents? Unless, of course, you had another goal…” She trailed off, letting her words hang in the air. “Did you?”

“Ridiculous. Our goal was to avoid fostering sibling rivalry. An entire Grove was at stake. Surely you don’t–”

“Then there should be no issue appointing me as Grovetender. I am my father’s daughter, after all.”

Vireldis, Vayla, and Voralei all stiffened simultaneously. “Of course there is. There is still the matter of secession– but you two are twins.”

“Then why not let us decide?” Veile asked sweetly. “Viria! Do you have any desire to take the role of Grovetender?”

Startled, it took Viria a moment to choke out an answer. “No,” she spat. “None at all.”

“And there you have it,” Veile continued. “The matter of secession is no more. What say you? As far as I can tell, there are no more issues. As you can see,” she waved a hand back at the robed figures, “I’ve already earned approval from my father’s advisors. What say you?”

Viria watched as rage and shock passed over the Grovetender’s faces, but there was little else for them to say. “Fine,” Vireldis said, his voice filled with an angry acceptance. “We recognize you as Grovetender.”

The gathered audience burst into a clamor. It rolled down the sides of the hollowed trunk, washing down over Viria. The mixture of excitement, awe, and disbelief mirrored her own emotions.

What did I just watch? It was hard to believe the turn of events, despite the fact they’d taken place right in front of her.

Viria’s vision narrowed and the din quieted as her sister turned around. She found her gaze caught on Veile’s arm; on the ugly black scars that started at her shoulder and condensed on her forearm and hands. I did that.

She looked down as Veile strode up to her, ashamed and unsure of what to say. “Veile, I…” A moment of silence passed. And then–

“Ria!” Veile exclaimed, throwing her arms around Viria and pulling her into a tight hug. “I missed you, Ria,” she whispered. Though quiet, her voice was raw with emotion. But it was that name– Ria– that moved Viria to tears. It was the nickname Veile called her as a child.

“Vai…” She wrapped her arms around Veile. “I’m sorry…! I’m so sorry…! I missed you, too. I missed you so much…”

Nothing else mattered to Viria as she hugged her sister for the first time in nearly two years.