The Elyrian

by D P Rowell

  “You mean you don’t . . . have a body?” Ace said, his eyes glancing up and down at her.

  Kareena chuckled. “Of course, I have a body, but unlike a being of flesh, my body survives solely on the Light within it. If the Light fades, my body dies.”

  “And so,” The King spoke again, “it would make sense that the Light would choose a being from a physical realm. For ages, inglings have done as instructed and waited in the in-between, shutting off the pathway to the realms except by my messenger Ishvi here; and faes who practice the elyr are scarce now.”

  “Why?” Ace said.

  “Because,” Kareena responded. “The council has deceived Yutara, even the new Breen: The Land of Faes. To most faes in Breen, the elyr is viewed as a way of life, but any practice of the white fire is deemed witchcraft and they are punished severely for it. In the rest of Yutara, witches have eyes everywhere. If a fae is caught practicing the elyr, a witch is bound to hear about it and cast the fae into the shadows. If the witch doesn’t succeed, a parcel will find one.”

  “So, fight against it!” Ace said.

  “We’ve been too outnumbered. The Light has weekend because the darkness is so powerful, and any attempt at fighting off witchcraft with the elyr has been met with a force of darkness too great for us to fight against,” Kareena said.

  “You see, Ace,” King Vinan said, “we have been waiting for you. For too long have the elyrians of Yutara lived under the rule of the darkness, hiding in shame for their gift. We’ve resisted the urge to fight so many times, but Oliver gave us the Light’s clear instructions, that if we wage war before the proper time, before the chosen vessel appears, we will surely lose. The darkness has overpowered us for ages beyond; and our existence thrives on the Light, if we wage the war now, we will be overpowered and crushed. But if the Light can grow back to where it used to be . . . See, you are the only way to wage the final war, Ace. It all goes back to what I said about free will. The Light saw how the darkness used the free will of the flesh to pervert the elyr. By the way the Light was perverted is the only way it can be restored.”

  Ishvi leaned toward Ace. “You’re essentially the conduit. As you grow the Light (the same way flesh once grew the darkness) Emery can use you as its new source”

  “In other words,” Kareena said, “You will be a source of light for the elyrians. The shadow realm will lose its power over the faes, and the final war can be waged.”

  Silence filled the room once again as Ace processed his thoughts. Kareena and the tree goblins sat with eager eyes, anticipating the boy’s response. But he wasn’t sure what to say. Some of this hurt him, and some of this brought joy. Grandpa hadn’t actually chosen him, and such a thought came with a bitter taste. Maybe he hadn’t bested the Peppercorns after all. And the Peppercorns; the thought of them was also wrenching. But it surely wasn’t worth the end of the world to see them turned to witches. There had to be a better way to bring them justice.

  One thought caused him to raise his chin with pride. This being of Light, the source of all good in the universe, had chosen him. Must be greater than being picked by Grandpa. In fact, The Light chose him even over Grandpa! Of all the people of Yutara, of all the people of the seven realms, Ace Halder had been chosen for this great task. But could he do it? Was he truly strong enough? King Vinan did suggest he simply wasn’t ready. Perhaps with the right training and enough time, he could develop the skills necessary to accomplish this. After all, The Light seemed to think he was the only one who could.

  He looked at the Tree King. “What must I do?”

  CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

  The Crystal Ocean

  Kareena brought Ace to a strange ocean in the Tree World. The water was like a crystal; a spotless mirror all the way to the horizon. The sky remained the same dirt surface and pinkish hue, but no trees growing downward over the ocean. The tide brushed gently against Ace’s bare feet. It was neither cold nor hot, but just the perfect temperature. Unlike the beaches in other worlds, there was no sand. Only the same ground surface of tree branches and fluffy leaves. But it didn’t hurt him to walk across this surface barefoot, rather it felt like walking on a cloud. Even across the branches.

  Kareena, keeping her eyes about the sea, spoke to Ace, “Here, I will teach you the basics of the elyr. How to understand it and utilize it. However, we cannot remain here forever. You will never master it in the in-between. It takes an elyrian years in outside realms, being tested by trials, to master the way of the Light.”

  Though Ace thought the sea in the forest was beautiful, he found it difficult to shift his gaze from the fae. “Are you saying I will have to practice this in Yutara?”

  Kareena turned to Ace. “Yes. The Emerson Stone has caged what is left of the Light. The Realm Unknown is now only darkness. For the final war to be waged, the Light must grow strong enough to face and consume the darkness in the Realm Unknown. In Yutara, since you are the vessel, with every battle you win, the Light will grow. When it’s ready, and when you are ready, it will guide you to wage the war on the seventh realm.”

  “But the elyr is outlawed in Yutara,” Ace said.

  “No one said the task will be easy. But the Light chose you. You must also keep in mind that every battle you lose, the darkness will grow, and the Light will fade.”

  “I thought the Light fled from The Realm Unknown, so it wouldn’t fade anymore.”

  “Yes. But now that it’s chosen you, and granted you the power of the elyr, it has become vulnerable to the darkness once again. Once you begin to grow the Light, the council will know that Emery has returned. They will come for you, Ace. They will try and stop you by any means.”

  “Does this mean I’m no longer immune to witchcraft?”

  “I’m not sure. But it’s important to remember, even if you’re immune to witchcraft, you are never immune to deception. The stone protecting you will be of great value once you battle a sorcerer, but it serves no purpose in protecting you from deception. Your growth in the elyr will sharpen your discernment, but ultimately, you will have to protect yourself from deception.”

  Ace nodded.

  “Come,” Kareena said. She stepped forward on the water. The pale flame of the elyr appeared on her feet and hovered her along the surface of the water. “Follow me.”

  Ace stared in amazement. “But I don’t know how to do that.”

  Kareena, with her expressionless face, waved her hands fluidly, and the elyr appeared at Ace’s feet. The boy’s face lit up with wonder, and he took an anxious step on the surface of the ocean, and just as Kareena, he hovered above the water. Together, they traveled the crystal sea in silence, until the trees were nothing but a faint line on the horizon. It was only them, completely alone in the middle of a crystal ocean. Ace’s heart was full, and his eagerness to learn the way of the Light overcame him.

  “This is a good place to begin,” Kareena said. “The stillness is needed to fill your mind. It is important for you to understand the source of the elyr’s power, which is fundamentally different from that of a sorcerer. Fill your mind with truth and empty it of everything you think you understand about witchcraft.”

  Ace closed his eyes and breathed deep. “Okay,” he said, “I—uh—I think I did it.”

  Kareena rolled her eyes. “Okay. Now hold your hands before you. Picture anything that brings you joy. Anything that makes your heart full.”

  This wasn’t difficult for the boy. For the thing which seemed to bring him so much joy stood just before him. The fae herself.

  “That was quick,” the fae said. “Open your eyes.”

  Ace did so and looked at his cupped hands. A pale flame, faint and flickering, sat in the palms of his hand; not but the size of a pea.

  “Wow!” Ace said, a wide smile on his face. “Why is it so dim?”

  “Because you’re new to this. Honestly, it’s impressive you have any light at all so quickly. I was hoping you wouldn’t be able to do it, so I could prove my point greater, but your
concern with the weak nature of your light will still help my case.

  “Learning the elyr takes time, dedication, and practice. This is one of the bigger differences between the elyr and sorcery. The council will offer you immediate gratification. Everything you want overnight. Fame, power, riches. Once someone has loved fame, riches, and power, the council will offer these things to them for a price much greater than their worth.”

  “What does it cost?”

  Kareena stepped closer and placed a warm hand on Ace’s chest. “Their soul,” she said.

  Ace tilted his head and squinted his eyes. “I don’t understand.”

  “You probably have a false understanding of witchcraft. That it’s extremely powerful and dangerous. And while it is dangerous, it’s not as powerful as you’d think. It’s limited. This is why sorcerers have mastered the art of deception. A witch, parcel, or warlock will only resort to magic out of desperation. In fact, many parcels send their witch slaves after people to avoid fighting themselves. Because, once they begin to use magic, they begin running out of fuel. And the fuel for their magic . . .” Kareena tipped her eyes at him, expecting a response.

  “Souls?” Ace asked.

  Kareena nodded. “The greatest difference between magic and the elyr is the effect on the soul. You see, magic requires the use of someone else’s soul. Once that soul has been entirely absorbed, a sorcerer’s magic runs out. The elyr is the opposite. The elyr requires the health of one’s own soul to draw its power. The more you seek to become like the Light, the stronger the Light becomes in you. Thus, the prophecy speaks:

  “But should he seek his soul freed.”

  Ace spoke once again, “And the more elyrians with healthy souls, the more powerful the Light becomes.”

  “Correct. Many faes have given up hope and forgotten Emery. If you can restore this hope, grow the Light, and recruit the faes back to their elyrian abilities, the council won’t stand a chance.”

  Ace quieted a moment and allowed the fae’s words to soak in. Attempting to comprehend the way of the Light. He looked at the small light in the palm of his hand, still dim and flickering. This was Grandpa’s cure. This is what Grandpa needed all along. This was Grandpa’s Ace of Spades.

  “Whatever your thought was,” Kareena said, “it provoked you to want to do good. This caused the Light to appear”

  Ace smiled inside. Kareena did make him want to do good. “Kareena, I don’t understand how the elyr works, exactly. At the oasis, you told me the Light doesn’t burn the flesh of the innocent. Here we are, standing on it above the water as well. Is it some kind of force? A fire that only burns witches? What is it, exactly?”

  “The elyr is a person. Emery is the elyr, and the elyr is Emery.” Ace’s demeanor was anything but graceful. She’d confused him more than before they began. Kareena giggled at the look on his face. “The elyr can give and take away the gift from any elyrian he chooses. In the past, faes used the gift for many things. It can heal wounds, reveal sorcery, and it can also be used as a force. If you’re not a sorcerer, the Light may not burn you, but that doesn’t mean the Light can’t work as a force against you. There are some stories of ancient faes powerful enough to move mountains with the elyr.”

  “Woah,” Ace said softly.

  “There is no limit to what the elyr can do. There are only limits to what elyrians can do. Now, let’s move forward with training. Think of another thing. Something that stirs up strife in you,” the fae said.

  It didn’t take much time for this either. The Peppercorns popped in his head right away. Before he even closed his eyes, the flame in his palm went off as quick as the flip of a switch.

  “Oh my,” Kareena said, “you have something trifling deep within you.”

  “That’s okay,” Ace said, he closed his eyes and pictured Kareena once again. He felt the light flicker in his palm, then drift away. He tried again, closing his eyes tightly, but the same thing occurred. He stopped at the warmth of Kareena’s hand when she placed it on his.

  “Ace,” she said. The boy opened his eyes to her radiant face, “it cannot work that way. You can’t suppress the conflict within you and hope to grow the Light. The reason your light is dim is because of the conflict in your heart. You have to solve it before your light will grow.”

  Ace felt a wrenching inside and a bitter taste on his tongue. He violently shook his head, “No. It’s okay, watch. I’ll make the Light grow.”

  “No, you won’t,” Kareena said. Her firm tone contested her otherwise gentle nature.

  But he ignored her and squeezed his eyes shut. He couldn’t shake the negative feelings.

  The Peppercorns.

  His mother.

  Saving them.

  He didn’t want to save them. He couldn’t save them. He wouldn’t! No way he was going to forgive them. They didn’t deserve it. They deserved to rot. Though he fought against them, small tears began to seep from the corners of his eyes.

  “Ace,” Kareena said softly. She stepped beside him and placed a gentle hand on his back. “This is very concerning.” The boy opened his painfully brimming eyes to the fae before him. “If you cannot learn to heal from this, you will never learn to use the Light.”

  Ace protested, “There has to be a different way.”

  Kareena closed her eyes and softly shook her head. “What is it that’s bothering you?”

  Ace tensed himself and ignored her.

  “Someone has hurt you,” she said. “Someone has wronged you, haven’t they? Someone has deeply wronged you or someone you love.”

  He looked at Kareena, his face scrunched with anger. “I can’t forgive them, okay? And I won’t save the Peppercorns!”

  When he said this, his tension fled, and his body went limp. Kareena stepped back, a look of horror in her eyes.

  “I’m sorry, Ace,” the fae said. “If you don’t forgive those who have wronged you, neither will the Light forgive you. To achieve the stone’s purpose in you is impossible without the Light’s forgiveness.” She closed her eyes and waved her hand in the air. Ace gasped as he dropped into the water. The Light had left from his feet and he was surrounded by the crystal ocean. He held his breath and swam to the surface. His head broke through and he coughed up the water from his throat. He treaded the water, but his arms were weakened.

  Kareena stepped to him and leaned close. “Is your grudge so strong you would let yourself drown?”

  Ace stared at her. Was she serious? “You won’t leave me here,” Ace said. “I can’t swim that far.”

  Kareena stood tall. “Whether or not you stay here or return to shore is up to you. Not me. The elyrian within you is strong enough that you should be able to pull yourself to the surface and safely return to shore. But if you do not give up your unwillingness to solve this conflict, you will surely drown.”

  “But you just said being an elyrian takes time!”

  “The Light I’m asking you to create is only the most basic.”

  “You can’t do this!” Ace yelled, “It’s not right! It’s immoral!”

  “It’s the only way,” she said. She turned away, the Light shone from her hands as a great and powerful flame, propelling her forward, so she traveled across the ocean at a blazing speed.

  “Kareena! Come back!” Ace said with desperation. “I can’t do this! Please!”

  But the only response he received was her back turned, quickly drifting away until she slipped behind the faint line of trees ahead.

  CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

  Confession

  Ace shouted for help as long as he could. It seemed hours had passed, and no one came. His body ached with heaviness. Was this really happening? How could the fae do such a thing? He spit out the salty water creeping into his mouth. His licked his chapped lips, and his thirst overwhelmed him. Was this the end?

  No, no. She wouldn’t leave me here to die, Ace thought. She couldn’t. The elyr wouldn’t let her. He looked for some sort of escape. Spinning himself around, only
to quickly rediscover the only thing between him and the shore was the Crystal Ocean. He breathed heavy and fought himself from panicking.

  “C’mon!” He said aloud. “You can do this!”

  He closed his eyes. It was much harder to clear his mind and concentrate when he was treading water for his life. He tried to think of Kareena, but this no longer brought joy. Now, the only the thoughts adjoined with her were being abandoned in the middle of the ocean. He slapped the water with his hands. He grimaced as droplets splashed into his eye. He tried to rub it, but the salt water from his hands only made it worse.

  “Okay,” he said softly, “calm down. Don’t panic.” He breathed slowly. He used the smallest effort he could manage treading water, but it didn’t prevent the feeling of a great weight resting on his arms and legs. He ignored them, attempting to look deep within himself to find the prompting of good. Something had to bring the Light forth.

  The thought of Grandpa Marty crossed his mind. His constant smiling face and positivity. The thought of his fireside stories on family vacations.

  “You’re my Ace of Spades. When the time comes, you’re gonna be the secret weapon that makes everything worthwhile,” Ace’s gut twisted. He was letting Grandpa down right now, not being his Ace of Spades. No joy. He dug further. There had to be something prompting within him to do good. Something not requiring him to forgive the Peppercorns. Just the thought of it enraged him all the more. He suppressed those thoughts. Getting angry wouldn’t help him in this moment.

  He coughed up more water, the muscles in his arms felt like fire. He was out of ideas. How would he even begin to forgive the Peppercorns? They didn’t deserve it! They were rotten, spoiled little brats. They deserved nothing less than to be as witches forever. Why, if he were to forgive them, it would thwart his whole plan! Being chosen by the Light to save Yutara, he could finally be able to bring justice to them. How was justice not approved of by the Light? What kind of good was a Light who didn’t agree with justice? What was Ace supposed to do? Just let them off the hook? They treated him like garbage his entire life. They constantly belittled him and lorded over him, like the way they were taught to by their parents! They . . . they . . .