“When Essos grew to his seventeenth name day, there was an attack. The Spirus explained to Essos that he had gifts as she did and how to use them. She sent him away, where he couldn’t be hurt, and his toys followed him as they always had. She stayed and was killed. When Essos found out that the invading army had slain his mother, he used his gifts to give his toys thought and voice. They became what you know as the tribes today. He trained them to fight and become warriors.
“They beat the invading armies and Essos stayed and taught the tribes. The Tempris are descended from Essos. He stayed with them until he was old and gray. He had the gift of giving thought, but he never used it again. Only the Spirus could transform things like she had transformed toys into living creatures. On his death bed, he promised all the tribe-kings that one day, there would be war again. The Spirus would return, joined with Essos and bring peace.
“We thought you would come when the humans arrived during the war, but you didn’t. Many in the tribes were starting to think you were a myth. Even during the wars, we didn’t know where the Vudos flute was. I have no idea how Belisarus found it. My tribe has been spying on the humans for years. They have been waiting for the Tempris to lose power completely, then they plan to seize the throne. Any tribe member that doesn’t fall in line and accept would be killed. They don’t know who took the Princess Lisana, but they are hoping Esylle doesn’t have another heir so her line ends. War is brewing. You are the Spirus returned and you are here to end that war and bring peace.”
She looked at Volaris, confused. They all seemed to know who she was and they all sensed something when they came near her. How could she be a God if she was just a girl? She could feel pain and she could be hurt. She asked Volaris this.
“We don’t know why you came to us born this girl and not fully formed. We watched you heal from the bear attack that should have killed you. Even if you feel pain and can be hurt, you seem to be able to heal yourself from it.”
“If I really am who you say I am and I’m meant to end a war, why was it kept from me and why was I not taught how? I know nothing about war, much less how to end one.”
“This is why you need to come back with us after we get to Idric. You need to be taught.”
“Why shouldn’t I just fly back to the palace now and let them kill me? That would end all of this. This is only starting because they know about me now.”
Soryn was not sure how she was supposed to end a war without hurting anyone like she was afraid she was going to do. Did they expect her to kill all of the humans so the tribes could live in peace? The humans she had met so far were kind and she thought not all of them were bad.
Volaris looked at her sadly. “If you attempted to fly back, I would bring you down. You’re—”
“You keep saying I’m here to stop a war,” she interrupted. “It’s only starting because I hurt Tollam and they know about me. If I flew back there and let them kill me, there would be no reason for them to attack anyone. How do you know that’s not what I’m supposed to do?”
“Child, you didn’t hurt Tollam, you gifted him. They have studied us for years trying to find a way to obtain our gifts. You gave him what they have killed to gain. Did you not hear me when I first started speaking? Even if you let them kill you, there would still be war, but you would not be here to stop it. They have been plotting for years to seize the throne. They are hoping the Tempris line ends with Esylle so they can finally put a human on the throne. There would be fighting, not only among the humans, but after learning what they did to us for so long trying to gain our gifts, what do you think they would do to the tribes?
“The Farkhi is full of spies. I knew of you as soon as you revealed yourself to Esylle and I’ve had eyes on you every day since then. We’ve heard everything the Lords have been planning. War has been brewing for years and that is why you are here now.”
Soryn still didn’t believe him when he said she was meant to bring peace. She didn’t understand how she could without killing people. She tried to think up any reason she could to argue that she was not who they all thought she was.
“If I really was sent by your god, why was I not sent during the first war with the humans? Why was I not sent the years the humans spent doing things to you in the dungeon I was brought to? Why am I just being sent now? How can I be a god when I remember being a child?”
“We prayed to Essos for you every day during the first war. We’ve prayed to Essos every day while our tribe members disappeared and were never heard from again. Some were starting to doubt and think you were a myth. You are here now because you need to be. I don’t know why you were born a child and came to us this young girl, but you are exactly as you need to be. You wouldn’t have been able to change that man who wanted to harm you and you wouldn’t have been able to create your traveling companion if you were not the Spirus.”
She asked because she had to know. She still didn’t think she was the Spirus. “Do you expect me to kill all of these humans for you? Is that how I’m supposed to end this war? These humans I’ve met so far have been kind to me and don’t want to hurt me.”
She didn’t want to hurt anyone and she was still upset she lost control and nearly killed the three men who were near her. She was fairly sure Tollam didn’t view what she had done to him as a gift.
“We were not told how, just that you would bring peace. Once we get back from Idric and we start teaching you to use your gifts, I’m sure a way to end the war without hurting anyone will come to you.”
She had to think for a moment. Belisarus was extremely angry when she created Frog and told her not to do it again. She still didn’t know how she turned Tollam into a frog and then somehow gave him the ability to choose a form. Belisarus didn’t seem to want to teach her how to do this, but Volaris seemed to think it was something she was supposed to do and should continue doing. He seemed to know what had happened as soon as she asked for his help. He told her the Spirus was able to create like she had done. Was he right about who she was? As much as she wanted to stay on Idric when they got back, maybe that was not where she should be anymore.
“We need to get to Idric soon before the weather starts changing or no one will bring us by boat. I don’t know what Belisarus will tell me, but you seemed to know exactly what happened when I touched Tollam. I don’t know how I’m supposed to end a war, but I will agree to come back with you so you can teach me.”
Oris
Oris had been shocked when he approached the girl and began to smell her. He had to circle her a few times and keep smelling her because he still couldn’t believe his nose. She had the musky smell of a Theran, but she also smelled of ember, salt, and pine. He could smell all four tribes on her at once and there was another smell he didn’t expect to smell. His father always made him pray for the Spirus to return even though Oris thought she was a myth. They burned amber resin when they prayed and this girl smelled of that resin on top of all of the other scents he could smell on her.
She seemed uncomfortable when he rubbed his face on her hands. She may have been the Spirus, but she also came to them a flesh and blood girl. A very pretty girl with large eyes and a full mouth. Oris didn’t want to marry the Theran girl chosen for him. He was meant to be king of the Therans. He could bring honor to his tribe marrying the girl who was the Spirus. He knew when he brought the news to his father that she was here, once the excitement died down, that he would bring it up to Terros.
He couldn’t help it and when she finally sat down to hear what Volaris was to tell her, he sat as close to her as he could. When Sono appeared, he did the same thing and Oris saw the looks Sono was giving him. He knew Sono also wanted to marry the girl. The Tark prince was of their age too and Oris suspected as soon as Neptis laid eyes on the girl, he would want the same.
There would have to be talks and negotiations among the tribe-kings over who got that honor. As he ran back home, he thought about everything he had heard. The girl didn’t seem to believe anything Vola
ris told her and doubted who she was. Volaris told her he would knock her from the sky if she attempted to fly back and allow them to kill her. Oris wondered if he should stay and try to prevent her from running as well. Volaris was no match for her if she used her Theran abilities and ran. Oris wasn’t even sure if he could stop her.
He let that thought go out of his head and concentrated on getting back home. From what he had gathered in the short time he had been there, the girl had done things she wasn’t supposed to and exposed herself to people she shouldn’t. He was surprised there were humans there that knew about her and didn’t want to hurt her. They should alert the other tribes so that they could all be around her to prevent her from leaving and getting herself killed.
He didn’t realize he had strayed so far from the Theran camp as he was rushing to get back. It seemed like endless running before he made it back. His father was waiting for him and extremely angry. When he transformed back to his human form, he started talking before his father could yell at him and explained to him everything that had happened while he was gone.
“Why did Volaris not call a meeting as soon as he knew she was here?” his father asked.
“She’s a young girl. She doesn’t know anything. They are going back to Idric Island so they can get answers from Belisarus about how he found her and why he kept her hidden for so long. She wanted to stay there, but he convinced her to come back and learn from us.”
He watched his father stalk around the room ranting about having to find out about her like this. He waved his hands in the air wondering what they were supposed to do with a confused girl who didn’t know anything instead of a fully formed Spirus.
“She’s powerful, she just needs to be trained. From what I’ve overheard, she created the strange man that travels with her and before I got there, she changed a human and now he’s Theran. I don’t think he views this as a gift and wants to hurt her. She needs protecting. She was talking about going back and letting them kill her. I think we need to be there, as well as the Tarks, to keep her from doing anything foolish. She agreed to come back and be trained, but I still think she doesn’t believe she is the Spirus. She has the Vudos flute, but hasn’t played it.”
“How did that old coot find both the girl and the flute?”
“I don’t know. But I wanted to talk to you about the girl. She’s here as a flesh and blood girl. She’s part Theran. You know why I left. I want to marry this girl. She’s the right age and I’m attracted to her. I’m not to the Theran woman you chose for me.”
“There’s going to have to be discussions over which tribe she marries into. You shouldn’t get your hopes up.”
“Why shouldn’t it be me?” he asked, angrily. “I saw the way Sono looked at her and he wants the same thing. I’m more powerful than Sono and Neptis. I should have that right.”
“You’re more powerful on land. Sono is more powerful than you in the air and Neptis could kill you if you went into the water. We all have our purpose and strengths. We can’t discuss this now. I need to alert everyone that she is finally here and we need to be there to meet them when they get back from Idric. The Tarks are safe underwater, but the Farkhi and the Theran should leave our camps to safety, especially if Joron is with the Farkhi. We shouldn’t be there when the humans search for her until she is with us, fully trained, and able to protect us,” Terros told him, stalking out of the room.
Esylle
Esylle was not sure how to process everything she had heard while Volaris was telling Soryn his story. She knew she wouldn’t stay in Idric when they left. She knew Belisarus had wanted her to come because he didn’t think it would be safe for her, but she didn’t want to stay and let the girl come back without her. The humans suspected her now and she had no reason to hide. If there was a war, she could fight with the tribes.
They were walking again and getting close to the coast. In maybe a day or two, they would be on a boat to Idric and she would finally get her suspicions confirmed that this girl was Lisana. She hoped the girl would be happy when she found out Esylle was her mother and not take it badly like she had done everything else.
They had finally stopped for lunch and Esylle was glad for the break. Her legs and feet hurt from so many days of walking. She had no idea how Soryn was making this journey a second time. Soryn and Frog left to look for food and the men had left to hunt. One had stayed with her, but she really needed a moment alone now that she was close to getting answers. Leodos kept telling her she needed to be prepared to get news that this girl wasn’t Lisana, but she could just feel that she was even though Soryn kept denying it.
She knew she shouldn’t leave her guard, but she slipped away and went and sat under a tree. She didn’t know what she would say to Soryn when Belisarus gave her his message, nor if Soryn would let her embrace her like she had been wanting to do this entire time. She didn’t let Soryn see how much it upset her when she tried when she saw she was upset and Soryn pushed her away.
She was surprised when her thoughts were disturbed because a raven landed on her knee. There was a message tied to its ankle. Not knowing who it was from, she untied it, but didn’t open it. Could Rivannus be contacting her after all this time? She took a deep breath and unrolled the scroll. She was surprised to see Belisarus’ handwriting. She didn’t know why he would send a raven when they were so close. She read his message.
“Dearest Esylle.
“I’m sure by now, you’ve met Soryn and are close to Idric. I am old and ill and may not be here when you finally arrive. I’m sure you have your suspicions on who she is after I told her to call to you before she gave you her message.
“I was hoping to explain to you in person why I had to take Lisana when she was so young. By now, I’m sure you’ve seen her gifts. If she played her flute like I’ve instructed her to, I’m sure you’ve been told who she is and why she’s important. She needed to be taken where she could not be discovered until she could protect herself and be who she is.
“I should also tell you other things. I am no ordinary human. I am a Theran. For years, I kept the tribe’s history. That is how I knew who she was and why she needed to be taken away. That is how I came by the Vudos flute she now has. Many years ago, I fell in love with a Tark. Mixing among tribes is forbidden and we were sent away when the tribes found out that I mated with a Tark and she was carrying my child. They did not kill me because I went to your family and trained you. You know the child I had as Rivannus. He never told you his secret because I would not allow him. The humans could also not know that he was both Tark and Theran or they would kill him.
“He never told you, but when he left, he knew I took her and was trying to find me. He knew who she was as soon as she was born and knew she needed to be protected. He thought he should be the one to protect her, but I knew she needed to be raised completely away from humans. I know he died while looking for her and I thought you should know this. It grieved me to lose my son because I was the cause of his death.
“Soryn does not know she is Lisana, nor have I ever told her I am her grandfather. I knew how to hide my scent from her so she didn’t know I was Theran. It pained me, watching her grow up, to treat her like my student and never her grandfather. I did not prepare her for what she was to learn when I sent her to you because I didn’t know how. How does one tell a four-year-old that they are a god reborn? I kept everything from her because I couldn’t look her in those eyes, your eyes, and tell her what she was meant for.
“I’m hoping this has been explained to her and she did not react badly. Knowing the both of you, I’m sure you know how she is and she is denying it. I hoped to explain this to both of you when you got to Idric, but I fear I may not be able to hold on until you get here. I’ve also written her a raven with a way I can speak to her.
“Please explain to her who she is, who I am, and why I couldn’t tell her. Tell her when she gets her raven, the both of you need to act on it immediately so I can hold on long enough to communicate wit
h her. There is a way you can talk to me without being here, but you are only powerful enough to do it together.
“Belisarus”
She reread the letter twice before the tears came. She grew up learning from him and despite everything in his letter, she still didn’t understand why he never said anything to her when Lisana was a baby and instead, just took her and let Esylle worry for so long. Why had Rivannus not said anything? Every day, for nineteen years, she worried about her and hoped wherever she was, she was being taken care of.
She didn’t know how she was going to explain to Soryn who Belisarus was to her and never told her. Esylle didn’t even know until this letter. She didn’t know if Soryn had already received her raven and what was in the contents of the letter she received. She was getting up to go find her when Leodos rushed out of the brush looking worried.
“You can’t start disappearing too!” he fussed. “I have enough on my hands with Soryn. Did something happen?” he asked, finally noticing her tears. She didn’t know how to explain, so she just handed him the letter.
She watched his face as he read it. She watched as he first got angry, then calmed down and looked at her sadly. “How are you going to tell her?” he asked. “I don’t think she will react to this well. She may be happy to find out she really is your daughter, but not that he kept from her that he was her grandfather. I wouldn’t have guessed that.”
“He said he sent her a raven too. I don’t know what her letter says, but we should find her because it has instructions on how to contact him.”
Soryn
Soryn had expected to go gather food with Frog since he knew how to help her. She was surprised when Sono wanted to go with them and chatted with her the entire time she was trying to smell for food. He was easy to talk to and he didn’t ask questions she didn’t have answers to. He didn’t bring up what his father had told her at all. She was still trying to process everything and still did not think she was this Spirus they thought she was. She only agreed to come back with them because they seemed to know how she could do the things she could and maybe with the tribes, she wouldn’t have to hide in the yard like she did on Idric. She knew she may change her mind and go back to Idric.
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