Skies of Fyir Box Set

by Gabriela Voelske

  "About the only other thing I can comment on is it would be correct to call us clutch mates rather than twins, that only came about as a protective measure," Abel remarked, cautiously settling himself down on the edge of the bed. Although Amnur wasn't showing any hostility towards the revelation, he still may not be too keen on him approaching Sakura as she was unable to defend herself. He, however, was placated, not even flinching or twitching when Abel settled down.

  Silence hung in the still air, filling the room with a feeling of awkwardness. Did the mage have questions, or was he just taking his time to consider what he had been told? In order to distract himself, his attention turned towards Sakura, letting out a slight breath as he gazed upon her damaged form. They had been close since she was young, after a fateful encounter in which resulted in him rescuing her from a tree, one her mother had tied her upside-down to. From an early age, she was aware of his abilities and he of hers, much to the relief of Abel. Aside from his sister, no other soul within the swamps knew the truth about him.

  Being able to finally share it with someone new brought him great joy, so he took it upon himself to tend to her as she grew, teaching her his native tongue. To his surprise, Sakura had a natural talent and learnt quickly, rousing his suspicions. Such a thing was rare and the inherent trait of certain northern bloodlines. Most of the knowledge of the language had long since been forgotten, along with the tongues of old. During the divide of angels and demons, the once shared tongue was abandoned in favour of private languages unknown to the other race, and it has remained that way since.

  "So, one of you is slightly older than the other?" Amnur spoke up, jolting Abel from his thoughts. He gestured to himself, smiling at his question. Silently, the other demon rubbed his hands together once more, shooting glances between Sakura and Abel before taking a deep breath, relaxing back against the headrest of the bed. "We could be forever if you told me everything right now and unfortunately that doesn't solve anything, despite my curiosity on the matter. I want you to do whatever necessary to wake her up, alright?"

  The white-eyed demon tilted his head, extending his arms and exhaled. With one extended motion, he pulled forth a light elemental into existence, following up with another flex, bursting a dark elemental from the aether. A bright wisp hung in the air, bright tendrils flowing out and forming a shape against the dark mist of the second elemental. Slowly the energy formed into a feminine shape, with golden curves created from the brilliant light and two streams of light stemmed from her back. As they continued to form, the feathery shape of angel wings became visible, a stark contrast to the bizarre and uneven shape of the other elemental. Amnur's unease was obvious, given the connotations of the summoned creatures but Abel's expression remained calm as if it was expected.

  Glances were exchanged between the beings of aether, a silent greeting between two polar opposites. In unison they surrounded Sakura, with their summoner taking a seat between them, giving her father a reassuring pat on the shoulder as he passed. Being unable to utilise mana directly himself, he needed to borrow the individual strengths of the elementals that he could summon.

  An eerie feeling hung in the room as he undertook his work, placing his hands firmly on her chest with the elementals placing a hand on his. Mana flowed over his fingers, seeping through the female's skin. His piercing eyes viewed the flow carefully, tenderly changing the amount going in and out as needed. Too much light based mana could damage her fragile body due to the race's inherent weakness, yet at the same time, it could be used to give her a kick to wake up. With the darkness creating a barrier to prevent it from going too far, the operation was progressing well. Another use of the bloodline trait was that he could interact with her natural mana without it mounting a protective defence, following a bonding procedure that they had undertaken a long time previously.

  Abel did wonder if there was something more preventing her from waking up, rather than just extensive injury. Proving it, however, could be difficult. As he guided the energy around her veins, he scoured the minuscule amount of mana present for anything peculiar. Nothing immediately appeared untoward, aside from perhaps the quantity. It was greater than he remembered, but this was the first time in a while he had been so close, so perhaps his memory was just off. The only visual representation he had seen had been the mana testing Amnur had done. A sample of blood was taken and added to a catalyst which changes to a shade of blue; the brighter the blue, the more mana present within the blood. The scale is only a relative; however, it didn’t measure the actual quantity of mana.

  Taking a deep breath, Abel manipulated the light energy to interact with the girl's inherent mana, in the hope of creating a reaction; a shock, to jolt her awake. It was a sensitive process, those with less mana didn't resist foreign spells affecting their bodies as much, making them more susceptible to magical damage and inflictions. Given the created bond, he needed more effort to elicit a response. It allowed it to be controlled, however, utilising the magic as a minor attack. Teasing it back and forth, he let out a breath. Success would mean a painful experience for Sakura, a short term one at least.

  A sharp flinch from her body brought a smile to his face, watching cautiously he continued on, easing up slightly to stop him causing injury. After a while, a weak groan emitted from her mouth, causing Abel to reduce the amount of mana he was using further.

  "...You know that hurts right?" Sakura whined, staring at Abel with a bright, lavender coloured eye. "Damn, my head and side ache."

  Before he had time to respond, Amnur pushed in and embraced his daughter, receiving a smile and a cringe from her. "Hey there kid, it's good to have you back," the demon spoke as he stroked her skin, carefully avoiding touching any of her injured areas. "You scared me, you know."

  "What happened? My memory is rather foggy," Sakura enquired, groggily lifting her right arm to examine the left side of her face. She was aware that she was only able to see out of one eye. Her fingers brushed over neatly laid bandages which stuck to the contours of her face, highlighting every detail. One region felt rather depressed than normal and raw to touch, so she refrained from pressing it any further. From there, her hand made its way down to the injured side, slipping underneath the pinned blanket with some effort. It was obvious from the texture she felt that there were more bandages present down there, along with further patches of rawness. Her clothing had been stripped down to allow access to the wounds with just enough left to keep her suitably covered, not that her father feared anyone would act on her in this condition, not when he wasn't leaving her side.

  "I'll go make us some food hm?" Abel spoke up, shuffling himself off the bed. Promptly he departed, but not before giving Sakura a smile and a wave, the elementals trailing behind him. It was going to be a shock when Amnur informed her exactly what had happened and notably, the complications of her injuries. As such, it would be best to leave them to talk privately. As much as Abel was close to them, he wasn't family.

  "Thank you, both of you. You may rest now, back in the aether," he whispered to his summons as he slipped into the kitchen, out of earshot of the bedroom.

  * * *

  Amnur bit his tongue as he watched her examine her body, unsure how to respond to her question. Eventually, he grabbed her arm, caressing her hand in his. Sakura tried to turn her head to face him but came up short, turning away before it caused any more pain.

  "I don't need to tell you that you're injured, that part is obvious enough," he started with a hint of nervousness in his voice, keenly keeping an eye on her body language to gauge a response. "You were protecting people who probably won't appreciate your actions, not when they know who you're related to."

  Sakura sighed. From his phrasing, it was obvious that he had revealed himself for one reason or another, likely to get her to safety. Unfortunately, she remembered nothing to let her know who was present at the scene but information such as that would be quickly passed to the racial leaders. News such as that wouldn't be welcomed, and it would
be made worse knowing he had a child. It was potentially worse enough to warrant drastic action, right when she was too weak to defend herself. "Tell me honestly Dad, how bad are these wounds?"

  "That gouge on your chest is going to leave a hefty scar, but it shouldn't cause any long-term problems.” Amnur ran one finger along the top of the blanket and ended by poking her nose, garnering a raised eyebrow from her. "However, the other injury is problematic."

  "By that you mean?"

  Amnur took a deep breath, gripping her hand firmly. Sakura slumped in the bed, the reaction said enough to her. "Your left eye was well beyond repair. I'm sorry sweetheart, I really am." She tried to reply but failed to form any words, stuttering on the first letter. For one so active, being blinded in one eye was crippling, everything she learnt would have to be adjusted. It was going to be a long process that was for certain, not an easy one either.

  "Don't think you'll be alone, though! You have me, Abel, Na-ri, Crono and the other villagers," Amnur spoke up, gently caressing her face. "Regardless what you need, we'll always be willing to provide it."

  Sakura coughed and cleared her throat, recoiling from the pain created from the forceful exhalation of air. For a moment she just laid against her father's hand, slowly breathing in and out and feeling the warmth from his skin. "Hey, Dad. Um, well."

  "What is it?"

  "Thank you, for looking after me, for everything. I do love you, you know." A smile crept across her wounded face, followed by a weak grin. Amnur tilted his head and chuckled, nudging in close to her.

  "Anytime."

  ###

  The Northern Bloodline

  By

  Gabriela Voelske

  The Northern Bloodline

  Copyright © 2019 Gabriela Voelske.

  Cover image © 2019 Gabriela Voelske.

  This eBook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be an infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights, and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.

  This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition, including this condition, being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

  All rights reserved worldwide. No part of this book may be reproduced by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy or any information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the publisher.

  The moral right of Gabriela Voelske to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1998.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Chapters

  Chapter 1: Coming To

  Chapter 2: The State of the Swamp

  Chapter 3: Opportunities and Answers

  Chapter 4: Familiar Names and Faces

  Chapter 5: A Stranger in the Swamp

  Chapter 6: Unusual Matters

  Chapter 7: A Return to Shadekeep

  Chapter 8: Past Memories

  Chapter 9: A Lingering Thought

  Chapter 10: A Soft Tone

  Chapter 11: A Bird’s Eye View

  Chapter 12: Unwelcome Guests

  Chapter 13: Unusual Magic

  Chapter 14: Discussing Matters

  Chapter 15: Catching Up

  Chapter 16: Coming to Terms

  Chapter 17: A Trip to Eriden

  Chapter 18: Confusion

  Chapter 19: The Start of a Journey

  Chapter 20: The Lore of the North

  Chapter 21: The Free Lands

  Chapter 22: A Familiar Stranger

  Chapter 23: Life in the South

  Chapter 24: Family Talk

  Chapter 25: Aether and Its Forms

  Chapter 26: The Siblings

  Chapter 27: Amnur

  Chapter 28: Taking the Bait

  Chapter 29: Consequences

  Chapter 30: Raz’iel

  Chapter 31: Breaking Free

  Chapter 32: A Stroll Through the Capital

  Chapter 33: A Strange Realm

  Chapter 34: Confessions

  Chapter 35: The Final Day

  Chapter 36: Thoughts and Contemplation

  Chapter 37: Dyn’s Choice

  Chapter 38: Emotions

  Chapter 39: Below the Decks

  Chapter 40: A Comfortable Bed

  Chapter 41: Explanations

  Chapter 42: Arriving Home

  Chapter 43: A Welcome Surprise

  Chapter 44: Bidding Farewell

  Chapter 45: Suspicions

  Chapter 46: A Grim Future

  Appendix

  Chapter 1: Coming To

  The door slammed, echoing around the open wooden halls of the hut. Amnur shuddered as he took stock of the situation. He had a meagre ration of food in his hands; a tiny fish, not enough for more than a single meal for one person, not two. With a sigh, he entered the side room and stoked the ebbing fire. Warmth greeted him in response, calming his bitter skin. He sat there for a moment, letting his aching body absorb the heat. Once he had warmed enough, he prepared the fish for cooking. A slip of a blade and the fish was gutted, leaving the succulent flesh.

  This was not the usual staple of fish that the Swamplands thrived on, he had to wander far to locate something edible. The sudden influx of chaos magic had forced the swamps into an early winter, disrupting their usual food supplies. Fish that normally bred in the autumn had skipped the cycle, keeping their energy for survival.

  As the fire crackled and the smell of fish filled the room, the occupant of the room began to stir. Sakura groaned as she woke, being greeted by the normal throb of pain from her wounds. Amnur lifted his head, slipping her a smile.

  “Morning Sakura, how are you feeling?”

  “The air’s biting my wound, the usual. I’m guessing you managed to get some food?” she replied, pulling the blanket over her head to try and warm herself.

  “Something edible, and I promise not to burn it.” Amnur heard Sakura chuckle in response, glad that the remark had worked. He peeked at the fish and then stood up, content it wouldn’t burn in the next few minutes. A few strides took him to the other side of the room, to a set of drawers. On the top sat an old, torn up shirt. Amnur picked it up and then kneeled next to the bed, tapping on the covered lump in the bed.

  “Oi.”

  “A gift,” he said. Sakura peeled the blankets away, staring at Amnur. He wiggled the cloth scrap in front of her, making her laugh. She sat up, as fast as her wound would let her. Amnur leaned forward and tied the cloth around the injury on her face, covering it up. “There.”

  “Thanks. Any signs of the weather letting up?”

  Amnur sighed. “Nope. Worse if anything,” he stated, taking a whiff of the air. “Two seconds.” He flitted back to the fireplace and examined the fish, seeing the well-cooked flesh. One hand removed it from the fireplace while the other secured a plate, combining to present Sakura with a meal. Sakura’s uncovered eye scrutinised the fish, her expression souring. “I know it’s not much, but it’s all I could find.”

  “Where’s your meal? You can’t starve yourself for me,” Sakura replied, irked that her father had misplaced her concerns. It was not the first time that he had, but it was starting to become a trend. She turned her gaze towards his face, spotting the notable cheekbones. He had been going without for a while, and sh
e could see he was losing weight.

  “I can, and I will. Now please, eat it, sweetheart.”

  Sakura took the plate and grasped the fish, still unwilling to let him go hungry. However, she was aware that he wouldn’t take any offerings. With a sigh, she tucked into her meal, keeping eye contact with her father the entire time.

  “It’ll get better, don’t worry. This is only temporary,” Amnur remarked, trying to reassure her.

  “Have you contacted Abel? He’d always get us food,” Sakura said, knowing that the eccentric demon would do anything to help them.

  “The whole chaos magic situation had created a lot of work for him. It left the village a mess.”

  “I suppose. I remember the snow and the howling winds.”

  Amnur forced a smile. She didn’t remember the whole situation, and he thought that for the better. “I’m not that terrible at catching food, am I?”

  “I’ve not seen the swamps for myself to judge that one,” she replied, letting out a small laugh, “I know what you’re like when you put your mind to something, though.”

  “I’ll take that positively.”

  “Good.”

  Amnur pinched her nose and then hugged her, taking care not to squeeze her wound. Sakura buried her head into his chest.

  “I’ll get today’s bandages sorted out, you rest up. Shout me if you need anything, alright?” Amnur said, leaning in to kiss her forehead. Sakura waved him off with a smile. Once Amnur had left the room, Sakura mulled over her thoughts. She didn’t suspect her father of lying about the state of the swamp; if anything, she thought him to be understating how bad it was. Her wounds still ached, but she felt strong enough to lend a hand. He would never let her outside, though. To see the swamps for herself, she would need a distraction.