* * * * *
“What are you thinking?” Elryia crept up to Grahamas, who was sitting at the edge of the forest, staring out to the north.
For a moment, he looked at her, cast a slight smile and then reverted back to his original position, “A lot actually.”
She rested her hand on his shoulder and lowered herself to sit next to him, “Such as…?”
“If I made the right choice by not telling Merial, or anyone else for that matter. If I even could have helped… If we should help him now—or if it’s too late. How we would get him back…”
“That is a lot…” she grinned and pressed her elbow into his side, but he still seemed in his own world, “Did you discover any answers?”
“Not one.”
El leaned in, drawing her arm around his shoulder, “Well then, we can find them together.”
“Aye. What do you think we should do?”
“I think… We should…” She giggled and patted his back, “Ask Lornya.”
Graham shifted and when he saw her dancing eyes and elated grin, he couldn’t help but respond with the same expression, “That’s your plan?”
Nodding, she narrowed and chewed on her bottom lip, “Good?”
His arm slid around the small of her back, “It suits me.” When he stood, his strength pulled El to her feet as well.
“That…was abrupt,” she said, wavering slightly, though that only prompted him to hold her tighter.
“I know. It was supposed to be.”
Before her glare had the chance to form fully, Grahamas jerked towards the west and headed for the group—taking her with him, voluntary or not. “Ooof!” was the only response she could muster.
In the clearing, the rest of the group was sitting in a small circle, including—to their surprise—Merial and Jeralyle. Grahamas stopped, and locked eyes on her, but he remained silent for a long time.
"I'm sorry." He finally stated. "I should have told you."
Her response came in the shaking of her head. "I am sorry, too. I as well kept a lot of things hidden, but I believe we both tried to do what was right."
The Champion's stature sunk. "And it still did not help..."
"So then what are we gonna do?" Gort blurted out, his voice rushing forward in the same manner as his body. "Go after him."
Everyone turned eyes towards Grahamas, he turned his to Lornya. "What do you suggest?"
"I would recommend that we continue with our journey, at least for now. There is a slim chance that Valaira's thrall has caused all of this, and if we are to break it, there is only one way to do so—kill her. But I fear that Carsis has made this decision all on his own."
"Kill her?" Lan’s gaze tossed between the Goddess and Graham. "Is that even possible?"
Lornya now sought Grahamas’ advice, all without ever posing a question. "Since we no longer have to worry our plans entering into the wrong ears, I think it best to tell everyone where we're going and why."
"Agreed." Lor spoke with a nod.
The Mage shifted, his eager curiosity sensing an adventure ahead, and Merial next to him could only laugh. "Where are we going?" was his only question, at least for now.
"To Sayassa." Lor answered “The mists that surround the northern edge of Eldonia. Within them lies the only weapon that can kill Valaira. A sword that is called Fate."
"Stolen Fate?" Ristalln interrupted.
Lornya shot him a curious look. "You know of it?"
"Very little. I read about it when I still a squire in Highlace..." the Knight cast a quick look around. "What? Why is everyone looking at me like that? I read."
As the Knight huffed and closed off, a chuckling Lornya began again. "Where was I?"
"Stolen Fate." Jeralyle quipped, leaning on his elbows.
"Ah, yes. Fate."
When Lornya started relaying the story of Fate to the group, Elryia slipped her hand into Grahamas and tugged, nodding her blonde head the opposite direction to lead them to privacy. She guided him back into the trees they had just come out of then faced him once she stopped.
"What is it? Are you well?" Grahamas a bit unnerved by her eagerness to lead him out.
"Aye. Though I was about to ask you that same question. As we've heard that story, I thought it would be my chance. I know you have a lot to deal with."
"Aye. But I've had you with me. It makes it easy to bear."
Elryia blinked, surprised he said something of that nature so easily. "Oh..." Was her initial reaction, then a devious smirk passed. "Perhaps then you should thank me."
At her request, he stepped closer as he placed his hands gently at her sides. "Perhaps I should..." He whispered, then began leaning towards her. Elryia's heart raced, she swallowed hard, then closed her eyes, tilting her head up. "Thank you..." He spoke, and she felt his lips brush her gently against the cheek.
After that she waited. It was only when she realized that was the extent of his gratitude, she slid her eyes open. Though it was not what she expected, her face still twinged a bright pink. "You're welcome." She finally managed to get out, then cleared her throat and looked down at his hands still on her hips.
"Oh. Sorry." He spoke, matching her earlier embarrassment, his grip retreating.
Elryia grinned, but worried she would get caught staring at him, so she cast her eyes instead to the forest. "It's beautiful here."
"Aye. Eldonia is full of places such as these. Like little tiny offsprings of Sharia. I used to come out here every now and then when Highlace was still thriving."
As she stared, something crept into her head that she realized she had never inquired. "Grahamas?"
"Aye?"
"Can I ask you a bizarre question?"
"Always."
"I know that..." She bit her lip, thinking of how to word the question. "If you could go back to that day Idimus attacked, or even before, in knowing what you do, how much would you change? All of it?"
The Champion blinked, stammered by her question. He had relived that day over and over in his head for nearly three hundred years. When he went to answer, he opened his mouth, but nothing came out. The response was nowhere near what he expected it would be and it caught even him off guard. "It would depend."
"On."
"What would happen to me in the future."
Elryia was confused. "I don't follow..."
"In all honesty, El, if I knew that by stopping Idimus it would mean I never met you... then I would not change it. Not one thing." He seemed almost ashamed. "I know that it's selfish and I know that a lot of people lost their lives, I just..."
Grahamas never got the chance to finish. A watery eyed, wavering Elryia had thrown her arms around so quickly, gripped him so tightly that he knew no further explanation was needed. Of all he had said to her over the years, of all the gifts and all that he had taught her, that answer was the most touching, most sincere thing he had ever done or said. Highlace was his world for the longest time, all that he cared about. For him to say such a thing meant that she had taken its place. She was his world now. Elryia knew it in her own mind, and he did not have to confess it. Grahamas did not worry he would have to.
"HEY YE TWO! We're leaving!" Gort hollered from the other side of the forest, then Grahamas heard Elryia snort, but he could not tell if it was from laughter or frustration.
"He is incredibly abrupt." He whispered, releasing her.
"You should see him when he's cranky." She informed, stepping away, leaving a stammered Grahamas behind her, unknowing if that was a joke.
"Wait..." He bade, turning to catch up to her. "He's not in a bad mood?" Grahamas could see the young woman's small shoulders bounce in laughter, and her head shake back and forth.
When the two returned, Graham only continued to wonder on the mood of the Dwarf, pacing back and forth on his pony impatiently, but all the same waiting for them.
As Elryia passed Lornya, the Goddess gave her a knowing, taunting look. "Where did you two go?" She answered by only smili
ng deviously, then making her way to her own horse.
Ristalln was in front, holding the reigns to Feiron and Whispering Thunder—Elryia's horse. The Champion bowed cordially to him, and first made sure Elryia was seated properly before he mounted his own. "Everyone ready?"
"Aye. Been that way." Gort huffed, now trying to straighten his ride.
Grahamas let out a tiny groan before he led the group north. He felt a slight sense of relief now that each member knew where they were heading and why. Merial, as well, didn't seem as distraught and quiet as he thought she would. The woman gave him the brightest smile as he passed her by, which he was thankful for. He didn't know all there was to about her relationship with Carsis. Perhaps him leaving did not have quite the affect he thought it would. Maybe she knew all along who he was and silently fought to try and change it. Regardless of why, Grahamas had the looming feeling that a sacrifice lay waiting to be made, either in saving him or claiming him as an enemy. As much as he wanted to save everyone, he had learned in his life that some did not wish it for themselves, or did not see it as being needed. Lornya may have been right. Carsis could have made his choice willingly, and only his own mind drove him down that path. It all happened so fast. Valaira was obviously a powerful influence, but as he rode and thought on it more, he could not dismiss the realization that she may have had nothing to do with Carsis descent. That she was only waiting for him when he fell. New questions found their way in, mainly what she was planning to do, and why she had such a fascination with him that day in the forest.
Grahamas was so distracted that he failed to see Lornya ride up next to him.
"Thinking?" She asked, jerking him back to reality.
"Aye."
"About Carsis?" Grahamas only nodded this time. "Do you feel worried or guilty?"
"In all honesty, both."
Lornya gazed at him sternly, yet with all the sympathy he had ever seen from her. "You, Lanyan and Merial did everything possible, maybe even more. I truly believed this would have happened no matter what we did. That Carsis has always held darkness, it was only a matter of time before it consumed him. I am only glad that no one got hurt."
"Aye. As am I. As well for the rest of the group being so strong."
"Light's Awakening."
"I'm sorry?"
"Jeralyle told me about it when you were in the forest. Apparently Javal had named them that when they were in Forgas. It seems to have captivated him."
"Light's Awakening..." The Champion drifted as he thought on it. "I rather like it."
"As well, I. It's a good name, and belongs to an outstanding group of people. I know you may not heed this, but I don't want you to worry too much about Carsis."
"He's not the one I am concerned for."
"Merial?" When Grahamas nodded, so did she, only hers was more to direct his gaze to her right to Mare and Jeralyle. The two talking as they usually did and Merial was holding a large piece of parchment, pointing to certain places on it as she spoke. Again, Grahamas didn't see the slightest sign of unhappiness. "I think Merial is going to be well." Then the Goddess leaned over to pat him on the shoulder. "You worry too much."
"Why does everyone keep telling me that?"
Lornya winked, then peered around the Champion to the Elf pacing back and forth. "I think Lanyan wishes to speak to you."
Grahamas followed, then turned an appreciative expression back towards Lor. "Thank you."
"You're welcome." She expressed, an eager eye turning forward, seeing her favorite companion riding all by himself. Her eyes lit up as bright as the sun that was breaking over the horizon.
Lanyan crept up as Graham stifled his chuckle. "I hope I did not interrupt." The humble Elf said in a stern whisper.
"Not at all."
"Good." For a moment, he still held his timid atmosphere. "I know this may not be the best time, with all that is happened, but both Gort and I were wondering if you were going to continue."
"...Oh. With the training. Certainly. As long as you're willing."
"We are. Is there something to follow the prior lesson?"
"Aye."
"One we can do as we have been?"
Grahamas thought for a moment. Training people on the road was as new to him as it was them. "Perhaps...Over the past few days, I have been giving you the lessons as they rank in importance. That being the case, the next thing that a good swordsman needs is speed." The Champion continued his search, his mind trying to come up with at least a simple trial to get them started, and a situation that would teach them the basics of building that particular skill. When Gort rode up next to Lanyan, it dawned on the Champion. "Lanyan, do you still have the hammer from last night?"
The Elf twisted his body to search through his saddlebag, then removed it to show to them. "Aye. Right here."
"Good. I want you to balance it again." He focused on the Dwarf. "You as well Gort."
Lanyan blinked. "Now? While riding?"
"Aye."
"I'll drop it within a matter of minutes, I can assure you."
"I know. That is the lesson. I want you to. But I also want you to try and catch it before it hits the ground, less you want to be stopping every few steps."
"Not I."
Gort grumbled, not seeming as anxious nor willing for this lesson. "I have a hard enough time steering Pony..." the whole time he was pulling one of his hammers from his waist "but I'll try."
Lornya, not far ahead of him, had taken a moment from her conversation with Ristalln to gaze back at the Champion. "Just as intuitive as you used to be..." She marked.
"Drat!" The Champion had been so focused on Lornya's comment, Gort's sudden yelp almost startled him, and he moved to see the Dwarf stopping to pick his hammer up.
Lanyan as well stared for a moment, then gave his attention back to Grahamas. "If you don't think I'm being too eager, what's after this?"
"The next test?" Lanyan flicked his head, though he lost his focus and the hammer tumbled off his finger. A wide expression and a quick snap of his fingers led the Elf to bend over nearly all the way. When he came back up, the very edge of the hammer's handle was in-between his fingers. "If you pass, then I will teach you the basics of actual sword fighting."
"DAMN!" Gort hollered again.
"Have you taught many?" Questioned Lanyan.
"Hundreds.” Graham considered. “Perhaps even thousands."
"Like this?"
"Similar to this, but a bit more extensive. It wasn't done traveling most times, so we had a training ground suited for it. In essence, these tests that I'm giving you are the same. They’re used to teach you the basics of building your own skill, as well they determine your resolve and fortitude. It takes a different kind of person to be a soldier and a swordsman, one who is going to commit himself to improving. A majority think it's about skill or technique, but the most important thing a soldier can have is heart and conviction."
"Heart...? Over strength?" Gort muttered, coming back up from yet another trip to the dirt.
"Aye. If I had a choice between leading an army filled with paid, seasoned soldiers or peasants with pitchforks and dreams of a better life, I pick the peasants."
Lanyan quirked, and grew curious along with Gort. "Why?"
"Paid soldiers fear only death on the battlefield. Rebels fear returning to their old lives. For most that is worse than death. They fight that much harder, they commit that much more.”
Far to his left, as Grahamas continued, Ristalln and Lornya had steered away from the group. The Knight was well out of earshot, but not for the Goddess whom the wind carried whispers for. Against her better judgment, she was using it to still hear the conversation.
"Is he giving his peasant speech again?" Ristalln pondered, leaning back to hear, but utterly failed.
"He is." Lornya flashed the Knight a glare, thinking he deceived her. "Can you hear him?!"
"Not at all. I just know him. He loves that speech. He gave it to me when I first started serving Highl
ace."
The Goddess shamefully shook her head, yet beamed, looking upon the Knight with skepticism. "Am I done listening now?"
"Aye. My curiosity gets the better of me sometimes."
"May I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"Who gave you the moniker Valiant?" She pried, realizing from his statement she had never asked him that, and her inquisitiveness as well took hold.
"Grahamas did when he knighted me. I think it was his polite way of calling me arrogant and reckless."
"Or perhaps he truly meant it."
The Knight thought about it, then shrugged. "I never asked him."
"Hundreds of years together and you never asked why he chose that name?" The Knight flashed his infamous grin, but swayed his head side-to-side. "And yet you have memorized his speeches and you can determine when he's making them." He nodded. "Have I told you the two of you have a strange relationship?"
"No. Do you want to?"
"Very much."
"It comes from spending many, many years together." Ristalln focused on the Champion, watching as Elryia moved to ride next to him. "Can I ask you something now?"
"Always."
"Is it lonely?"
"What?"
"Living in the mists, so far away from the world?"
Lornya shook her head. "I have nature to keep me company. The birds, the trees..." She glanced at Ristalln, who looked unconvinced. "...yes. It gets very lonely."
A look of compassion and sympathy washed over the Knight, but it lasted only a moment and his same flashing smile darted up. "Well, that's all over. Now you have me."
The Goddess grew stern and perked the corners of her mouth. "Do I now?" She asked, pushing her horse even closer to his own.
"Aye. You do." He leaned, staring while giving his reply, before his eyes completely shut.
He felt her hand cup his chin, then his entire body was pulled forward before very strong, very determined lips pressed against his own, ones that held for a long time. Then, after the sensation faded, his eyes opened again, and she was back in her original position, smiling but acting as though nothing happened. With all his cavorting and bravery, his charm and knowledge of the opposite sex, he still grew bashful around her. Desperate to draw her attention away, he said the first thing he could think of. "May I ask something else of you?"
"Aye."
"You said when you rescued us that you carried mists with you in order to use magick. Does all your power derive from that?"
The Goddess seemed almost amused. "Most of magick comes from Eldonia itself, so it is limitless. However, there are a couple things, such as whisking away brave Champions and handsome Knights that I need the mists to perform." Despite her energetic tone, she appeared disappointed.
"Why the look?"
"That was not the question I was expecting."
"What was?"
"I believed you were going to ask me to kiss you again."
"That... was my follow up." Ristalln prepared, pursing his lips once more. For a moment he felt her lips again...
"Drat! Stupid hammer! Stupid Pony!"
Gort’s yell ripped away the moment, ruining it completely.
"Did you drop it again, Gort?" Lanyan asked, still balancing his, until a mischievous Grahamas reached across and flicked it off. Lanyan wasn't nearly fast enough to pull away before Graham toppled it, but he did manage to grab it before it hit the ground.
Once Gort had retrieved his own and started riding, he snorted with distaste. "I give up. I'm never going to be able to do this."
"You won't if you quit." Grahamas commented to the trailing Dwarf.
"Eh?" He looked confused.
"It's... a philosophy I've learned over the years. The only way to assure the outcome of something is to quit." Lanyan looked on, seeming as though he understood, but Gort seemed as confounded as he had a moment ago. "Take for example, our fight. No one can say whether Idimus is going to win, or we will. We aren't going to know until it happens. But if we were to stop right now and go home, Idimus would. We have assured that with our actions, because we've given up. If we fight, if we try, none can say what we'll accomplish until we've done it."
Gort sat in silence for a long time, seemingly working and re-working what Grahamas said in his head. Without a word he returned to balancing—and dropping—the hammer. "How long is this going to take?" Gort bickered.
Graham answered "It could take years."
"I have to do this for years?"
"No. Years to gain speed."
"Then why am I doing this."
"To have a lesson to take with you in order to learn it. And to teach you the most important thing of all. Don't give up—ever."
The Dwarf soured, and though he did not respond, the Champion saw a resolve in his eyes and Grahamas knew he understood.
With both Lanyan and Gort focused on their new task, Elryia rode closer to him, now not risking an interruption.
"All is well?" She asked, prompting the Champion to turn and gaze at her smiling face, unable to resist dong the same.
"Aye. You?"
"Of course." She replied with a brisk nod. "But everyone is off in their own worlds. Ristalln and Lornya, Jeralyle and Merial. I feel left out." She pouted playfully, catching her horse up to his.
"And how is Mare?"
"She is better. I think she's over the initial shock and knows she has a lot of support. To her the future is promising, but a little uncertain, and she's accepted that. We all have. It's as you told Gort and Lanyan earlier, no one can tell what's going to happen until it does. So we can only continue forward."
"I said that?"
She giggled and tread close enough to now jab him with her elbow. "You got there eventually."
Stunned, the Champion could only gasp and glare, and Elryia could only laugh harder. His eyes averted, his head turned up in a melodramatic manner and he remained silent, saw only fit to shun her. Minutes passed where he ignored her, and all the while his body continued to turn further away, until she was staring at the back of his head. She believed her only retaliation was to follow suit, but Grahamas horse slowly began to drift onto her side of the road, and if it kept its current direction, it would run her over.
"Graham." She spoke lightly, trying to draw his attention back, but it only spurred him further into her line. "Grahamas!"
He idly glanced back, concern overwhelming. "I'm terribly sorry. I should be more careful." But the look in his eye gave away his true intentions: he did it on purpose.
"Ristalln Derimegh is starting to rub off on you."
The Champion only kept his current jubilation. "Why thank you."
Elryia continued to chastise him, behind the two Merial and Jeralyle watched the entire scene. "I wonder if he's well." Merial was the first to comment on it.
"Aye. I think he was only toying with her." Merial brightened, and Jeralyle caught notice of it. "Speaking of which... you seem to be doing better today."
"I...I am. Perhaps it has not settled on me yet, but maybe... it has passed."
"Then why do you look so concerned?"
"Because I wonder if I should be more upset than I am."
"Do you know why you're not?"
"Not exactly. To be honest, it was over long before it ended. It always seemed like something was waiting to happen. We would fight about the wedding, or we would fight about the bar. That's all we seemed to do. And I fretted which one was going to end us for good. I didn't think it would be this extreme but I am also not entirely surprised."
Jeralyle chewed at his lip, a ponder lingering in his mind he wanted to ask, but not sure if he should. "Mare? If I may?" A half-smile pushed onto her face, and she accepted. "If he hadn't left, would you have married him?"
Merial considered her response. "I was hoping he could change, so I stayed. But it seemed the further we drew apart, the more he wanted to get married—as if that was going to fix everything. Carsis had it set in his mind on how things sh
ould be yet had not the desire to work towards that goal. There were times where I felt like he didn't know me at all, or that he didn't want to. I always got the impression that after he won me, he believed he no longer had to try. And I was so foolish for never seeing these things, or for ignoring them when I did." The young woman wore a look of an apologetic sincerity, and a deeply hidden passion in her eyes. "It was only recently, since we found you, did I realize all these things that were wrong. So in answer to your question I think... I would have married him only if I never met you."
Her answer only forced more questions in his mind, and he was not sure how to respond, so he simply said the first thing that came to him. "Then... I am glad that you met me."
"So am I, Jerry Berry." She smiled, reaching across to run her palm over the top of his hand, and his fingers extended to capture it before it got the chance to escape. "So am I." She kept her grip on him and crept in closer, looking first towards the rest of the group, then back upon the Mage. "My turn?”
"Of course."
"If you ever see him again, what are you going to do?"
Jeralyle groaned, momentarily squeezing. Of all the questions he wanted her to ask him, there was only one he didn't—and that was it. Since the moment he found out what happened, aside from Merial's well being, he thought about what he would do if he found Carsis. He had come up only with answers that terrified him. "I don't know, Mare. It would all depend on what he said to me first."
"And what if you did not like what came from him? Would you hurt him?"
"That, too, would depend."
"On?"
"Two things. If he tried to hurt you, I would. If you asked me not to, I wouldn't."
With a sigh, Merial leaned even further until Jeralyle instinctively wrapped his arm around her, even though he had to stretch to do so. "I don't know if I could ask you that because I have no idea who he will be when we find him."
"Aye...a part of me wonders where he is now."
"As do I."
In A Time Of Darkness Page 92