Page 52 of Eluvonia (Rift of Ages #1)

AERIS

W e step out of the portal, and for a moment, everything feels surreal.

It’s like stepping through a doorway with my eyes closed—one minute we’re in one place, and the next…

Well, we’re somewhere else entirely. I blink, trying to process the shift, but I can’t help but stare in awe at the dense forest around us.

Towering trees stretch up towards the sky, their bark a rich, almost unnatural shade of brown, while vibrant green moss covers the ground like a soft carpet.

Glowing yellow orbs float lazily in the air, casting an ethereal light that dances around us.

The faint sound of a child’s laughter echoes through the trees, a soft, melodic giggle that seems to bounce off the trees, teasing the edges of our senses.

It’s magical here, no doubt about it. There’s an energy in the air, like the whole place is alive, breathing, waiting.

“Where the hell are we?” I murmur, my voice almost drowned by the surreal beauty of the scene .

Before anyone can answer, a sound breaks through the silence. It’s a soft rustle in the underbrush, followed by a heavy, steady footfall. We all whip around, instinctively drawing into a defensive stance, eyes darting to the source.

Emerging from the shadows of the trees is the Earth Ymiral.

She is tall, though not towering, her skin a deep, lush green, like the life force of the forest itself.

Her hair flows in dark green waves around her face, falling like cascading vines.

Her gown, shimmering with the hues of the earth, clings to her slender form, almost as if made from the very essence of nature—like something that grew rather than was woven.

Her eyes glow with a soft green light, bright and knowing, and though she looks ethereal and powerful, there is something distinctly solemn in the way she holds herself.

She is not what I expected. I figured the Ymirals would all have this commanding presence, but there’s something gentle about her.

She smiles at us, a slow, sad curve of her lips.

“Blessed ones,” she says, her voice deep and resonant, like the earth’s whisper.

Kaida raises an eyebrow, his posture shifting, ever wary. “Why do you want to meet us?”

The earth Ymiral pauses, her glowing gaze sweeping over us before she answers, the words hanging in the air like the weight of the forest itself. “Eluvonia is dying, and we need your help.”

The air shifts, a sudden tension rising between us. Declan’s gaze sharpens. “How? What do you need?”

Her eyes linger on him, and there’s a flicker of something in her expression, like she’s measuring us, considering whether we’re truly ready to understand. Then she sighs, a soft exhale that ruffles the leaves around us. “We need to seek one from before the Rift of Ages.”

“Who is that?” I ask, but my voice sounds distant even to me.

The Earth Ymiral’s gaze shifts to the horizon, her eyes narrowing as if the very air is speaking to her. “His name is Julien. He is a Fae.”

I blink at her, confusion flooding my mind. “How are we supposed to find someone from over three thousand years ago?”

As if to answer my question, a small, high-pitched giggle cuts through the air, followed by a sudden whoosh of movement. From thin air, a small figure materializes in front of us, floating just above the ground.

The child is tiny—no taller than a few feet—yet her presence demands attention, like something born from the very magic of the land itself.

Her skin, the same rich green as the earth Ymiral’s, seems to glow faintly, and her cherubic face is framed by wild, twisting strands of deep green hair that resemble curling vines.

They shimmer like fresh leaves in the sunlight, almost appearing to grow and shift as she moves.

Her wide, mischievous eyes gleam with an ancient, knowing brightness far too vast for someone so small.

A high-pitched squeal of delight bursts from her lips as she twirls in the air, her tiny feet kicking playfully. “Ah! You see me now! You see me now!” she giggles, clapping her small hands together, her excitement radiating like sunlight after a storm.

Declan stares, his brows furrowed. “Wait… I thought there was only one Ymiral per element?”

The child freezes mid-twirl, gasping dramatically as if he’d just uttered the most ridiculous thing imaginable. “There is ! There is !” she squeals, spinning back toward him, her grin impossibly wide. “I am a sapling!”

“A sapling?” Kaida echoes, his voice skeptical, his sharp gaze fixed on the tiny being.

“Yes, yes!” she nods eagerly, her body bouncing in the air like she can barely contain herself.

“Earth Ymirals are like trees! We are not immortal, no no, but we do live for centuries! When we grow old and our life nears its end, a sapling is born in our place!” She gestures to herself with an exaggerated wave of her hands.

“And then the old Ymiral teaches the sapling everything! So when they are gone…” she pauses, her grin dimming only slightly, “the sapling will take their place and become the new Ymiral!”

Kaida’s eyes narrow slightly. “So… you’re a replacement?”

The child gasps again, offended. “Nooo! Not a replacement! A successor ! Like a baby tree growing from the roots of an ancient one!” She beams, flinging her arms out wide.

“I am still connected to her ,” she motions toward the older Ymiral, who watches with a fond smile, “but I must learn and grow until I am strong enough to take her place!”

“Thanks to this little one, Julien is still alive to this day,” the earth Ymiral explains with a soft chuckle. “He was blessed.”

The child Ymiral twirls in the air again, her eyes sparkling. “I love Julien! He gave me treaties! I didn’t want to lose my friend, so I blessed him so he can stay forever!” She squeals, clearly proud of her actions, her tiny form fluttering around us like a butterfly.

I can’t help but stare at her, bewildered. “Wait, he’s… still alive? And you… blessed him?”

The earth Ymiral nods slowly, her expression a mixture of fondness and regret. “Yes, even though we do not typically bless Fae, Julien was blessed with everlasting life.”

I raise an eyebrow. “I’m Fae… and I’m blessed, too?”

Her gaze sharpens, and for a moment, I swear I see a flicker of something in her eyes—a strange, unreadable emotion. “Yes, you are,” she says softly, almost too softly. “For reasons you are not ready to hear.”

I bristle at her words. “What’s that supposed to mean?” I start to speak, but Declan’s hand on my shoulder stills me.

“So, how do we find this Julien?” Declan asks, pushing the conversation forward. “And may I ask why he’s so important?”

The Earth Ymiral turns her gaze to him, her expression softening, though there’s still that distant sadness in her eyes. “He is the key to learning how to save Eluvonia—not only from what is draining the Nexxus, but from the war that is destroying the realm.”

I turn to Kaida, his eyes narrowing, a shadow passing over his face. “Is it the crystals?”

The child Ymiral bursts into a fit of giggles, twirling around us like a spinning top. “Yes and no!” she laughs.

The earth Ymiral raises a hand, silencing her.

“I’m sorry,” she says, turning back to us, her voice quieter now.

“We do not know for sure what is happening. While yes, the crystals are draining the Nexxus from Eluvonia, something caused them to start doing so… and no, it was not your father.” She hesitates, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

“It’s… something not from this realm. I can feel the Nexxus being pulled somewhere off Eluvonia. I just can’t tell where.”

I cross my arms, fighting the urge to roll my eyes. “And how would Julien know?”

“I do not know,” the earth Ymiral admits, her gaze distant, the sorrow on her face deepening. “But the realm speaks to me. It says we need to find him.”

“Well, that’s… helpful,” I mutter under my breath, frustration creeping in.

Declan raises an eyebrow. “So where is he?”

The Earth Ymiral looks at us all with a resigned expression. “He is not on Eluvonia, and I do not know where he went.”

“That’s even less helpful,” I mutter, the words slipping out before I can stop them.

Kaida suddenly straightens, his brows knitting together. “Wait… Julien? Julien Nytheris?”

We all freeze, and the child Ymiral gasps, spinning in the air with excitement. “You know! You know!”

Kaida rummages through his bag, pulling out an old, worn brown book with gold designs along the edges.

“What is that?” I ask, my eyes narrowing.

Declan grins, clearly excited. “You kept it!” he exclaims.

I look between them, utterly lost. “What am I missing?”

Declan chuckles, leaning toward me. “When we were looking for evidence to free you, we came across this journal in Kaida’s father’s study. It’s Julien’s journal.”

My eyes widen as I take in the old book. It’s faded, ancient even. My heart stutters in my chest.

The earth Ymiral chuckles lightly, her voice laced with something almost knowing. “The realm has spoken.”

She turns towards the males, her gaze unwavering. “You may stay here while you research the journal. Hopefully, it can give you insight on where he went.”

The Earth Ymiral turns towards me and her eyes soften. “Except for you, you have training to do.”

I suck in a breath, staring at her in disbelief. “Training? Really?”

She smiles at me, and somehow, that smile is warm, almost motherly. “Come. We start now.”

The child Ymiral floats in front of the Dragons, her voice filled with unrestrained joy. “Come with me! I’ll show you where you can sleep and read!” She giggles, taking off down a path to the left.

I look at Declan and Kaida, who hesitate, exchanging brief glances, uncertainty flickering in their eyes before they shift their focus back to me. There’s a tension in the air, like they want to say something, but it hangs unsaid. Finally, I grin and shoo them away. “Go on, I’ll be fine.”

Kaida grunts, his shadowy tendrils twitching like restless serpents, unsure whether to follow me or not.

He stands frozen for a long beat, his eyes narrowing as though calculating the safest course.

He grunts and I see his shadows surge forward and slip under my bare feet.

“I will know if something is wrong,” he says, his words lingering in the space between us.

Only after a heavy pause does he walk off down the path with the child Ymiral, his heavy steps echoing softly.

I watch him go, the shadows clinging to my feet like a second skin. There’s an unfamiliar feeling—comfort, maybe. The sensation is strange, but not unwelcome.

Declan, too, lingers for a moment longer than expected, his brow furrowing as though grappling with some inner hesitation.

He opens his mouth to speak, then seems to think better of it, opting for a tight nod.

“If you need anything, just—” His words trail off, unfinished, before he follows Kaida, his steps almost reluctant.

I laugh softly, a warmth spreading through my chest at their protectiveness. I glance down at the shadows beneath my feet, the lingering feeling of their presence like a silent promise.

“Come, young Fae,” the earth Ymiral beckons gently, her voice a calming presence in the swirl of emotions around me. “The realm has much to teach you.”

I glance back at Kaida and Declan one last time, my heart still beating erratically but starting to settle, and with a new sense of purpose beginning to take root, I follow her down the path to the right.