Page 41

Chapter 41

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G olden sunlight filtered through the green treetops. A soft sort of light, gentle and beautiful, mixed with the smell of fresh leaves and earth. Elnok admired the sweet-smelling air as he continued taking down his makeshift linen tent.

They were less than a day’s walk from Vutror, having set up camp at the edge of Lhaal Forest. No longer did a heavy shadow hang over the trees, nor did fog spill out of its dense branches. Instead, birds sang songs and squirrels jumped between healthy branches.

“I still can’t believe it,” Sylzenya said as she approached him, lacing her hand in his. Warm, soft— home. “I never thought Lhaal could ever look like this.”

“It’s beautiful,” Elnok breathed. “Although I could do without the lurking monsters.”

She squeezed his hand. “You’ve done just fine with your special whip.”

He smiled. “So much better than my rope.”

“Hm, I’m still fond of that rope.” She smirked, letting go of his hand and walking back towards her tent.

“Sylzenya Phatris ,” he growled, grabbing her waist and pulling her against his chest, nuzzling his mouth against her ear.

A small laugh fell from her lips, one he caught with his mouth before it could slip away.

“We’re supposed to be cleaning up,” she teased, secretly running her hand along the outside of his pants, brushing her palm along his length, which, not to his surprise, had already hardened for her.

“Oh, but you know you can’t just say things like that and get away with it.” He smiled.

She bit her lip. “ What? I had no idea.”

It took every ounce of restraint in him to not fuck her this very moment. Judging by her smile, the thought burned in her mind just as brightly.

“Elnok, Sylzenya, if you both could please focus this morning, my ears would greatly appreciate it,” Kharis yelled from the center of their small encampment, putting out the last of the burning embers. Their breakfast had been berries, roasted squash, and ample dried meat.

Rolling his eyes, Elnok claimed her mouth again, filling his lungs with her before they resumed taking down their equipment.

Outside of Lhaal Forest, the same barren lands Elnok had left still painted the hills, mountains, and valleys. Every so often, Sylzenya, Nyla, and a group of five more Kreenas would disperse and use their magic to create grass, trees, and other spots of life.

Despite the continued bareness, they proved it could be revitalized.

“It’ll take a long time and a lot of work,” Sylzenya remarked as she took a long gulp from her waterskin. “But if enough Esteans can commit to learning how to harness their power and help the land, then we can at least start bringing it back to its original state. Perhaps even better.”

Elnok stared at her back, her Kreena cut a soft pink, the healthiest he’d ever seen it.

“What’s it like?” Elnok asked as they and their party walked between two cliffsides, “Creating without your cut opening and bleeding?”

She smiled, something she’d been doing often on this trip. “It feels… right. Like this is how it was always supposed to be. And yet, it still feels like something is missing.” She turned to him. “I grew so accustomed to the pain, it almost feels like the life I make is somehow unearned.”

Nyla jumped in between them, her black hair tangled and full of leaves. “Don’t listen to her, Elnok. She’s far too philosophical about all of this. How it actually feels is amazing . And way less messy. I mean, by the gods, we were bleeding constantly. It feels good to create without pain or blood. Although, I’m far more interested in learning how to harness my Dynami powers.”

Elnok laughed as Sylzenya shook her head, taking twigs out of her friend’s hair.

“You’d make quite the warrior,” she teased.

“Just you wait, Syl– Oh! We should create some trees over there, don’t you think?”

Sylzenya rolled her eyes, giving into her friend’s request as they rushed ahead of the group, creating a small ravine and oak trees next to one of the canyon faces. Despite her smiles, Elnok hadn’t missed the sadness in her eyes. She hadn’t talked about it yet, but he knew she still felt guilt for what their magic had done to the continent.

Suddenly, the ground started to quake.

“Serpentum!” Kharis yelled from the front of the line. “I’ll take care of it. Continue forward.”

Kharis rushed ahead of the group, his veins and sword aglow.

“Suppose Dynameis will need to keep vigilant,” Theraden said as he stepped next to Elnok.

Sylzenya’s father wore a plain white tunic and brown linen pants, a leather bag wrapped around his chest and hanging from his back. Gray hair tied in a small tail at the nape of his neck, he pointed towards Elnok’s whip, “Do you plan to help them rid the continent of the loose monsters?”

Elnok shrugged. “To be honest, I’m not sure what I’ll be doing after this.”

“My daughter will want to revitalize the continent,” he said, “she’s told me many times since we started the journey.”

“She’s told me as well.”

The man readjusted his bag. “While I want to spend as much time as I can with Sylzenya, I know she won’t want to stay in one place for too long. Her heart’s too large for that. Her ambitions will take her many places my body won’t be able to join.”

“You have a compassionate daughter, Theraden,” Elnok remarked.

“A blessing I don’t deserve,” he said, eyes glassy.

“Something tells me she didn’t get that particular quality from Distrathrus.”

A small smile spread across his mouth. “You love my daughter very much.”

Elnok laughed. “I fear I make that a bit too obvious sometimes.”

“You do.”

Sylzenya rejoined the entourage, talking with the Kreenas at the front of line. Kharis returned soon after with black blood dripping from his sword, the group welcoming him with hurrah’s and shouts of accomplishment.

“Take care of her, will you?” Theraden asked, his voice low and serious. “I just… I gave her away to someone who didn’t do that and… it kills me. Probably always will…”

His voice trailed off, his eyes becoming distant.

Elnok turned to him. “She forgives you, you know. And her mother too.”

“I know, it’s just… please.”

Elnok nodded. “I could promise to take care of her, but she’s pretty damn good at it herself. With or without me, she’d find her way.” Rubbing his neck, Elnok grinned. “But as long as I’m by her side, I’ll always be watching out for her, just like she’ll be doing for me.”

Theraden cracked a smile, patting his shoulder. “You’re a good man, Elnok. Thank you—for everything.”

Elnok couldn’t stop the warmth inside his chest from blooming through his limbs.

A good man.

Never in his life had he considered himself such a thing. He still wouldn’t, but he liked the idea.

Elnok stopped in front of the stone drawbridge. Kharis had ushered him to the front, Sylzenya as well. He hadn’t seen Vutror’s drawbridge in ten years—hadn’t been anywhere near Vutror since his escape.

Sylzenya laced her fingers with his.

“You’ll be alright,” she whispered.

His throat bobbed as he gave a slight nod.

“We sent someone ahead to let them know of our arrival,” Kharis said, returning from talking to the guard, “they’ll let us through when they’re ready.”

Waiting felt like an eternity.

Finally, the drawbridge creaked and yawned, lowering slowly until it thudded against the dry ground. Sylzenya squeezed his hand.

The sunlight burst forth as they passed through, entering the kingdom’s walkway. Gray stone buildings lined the path, their window panes full of dust and debris.

Doors slowly opened, people stepping out of their homes and exiting their vendor stands, swarming at the entrance of the kingdom. Elnok stared at them all. A small rumble of conversation slowly built into shouts before erupting into cheers and applause.

Elnok’s mouth gaped, his hands shaking.

Small pieces of colored paper sailed through the air, falling onto his hair and face. He looked up. People threw confetti from their windowsills, chanting his name over and over again.

But then, the crowd slowly parted before him—all the air in his lungs left him. Walking towards him was the familiar mop of brown hair and warm eyes of his friend.

Orym spread his arms wide, wearing a broad smile.

Warm tears spilled down Elnok’s face. Sylzenya let go of his hand, and he rushed for him. Orym ran for him as well. They collided, the force almost knocking both of them off their feet. Elnok crumpled Orym’s tunic into his hands, sobbing into his shoulder.

“You made it back in one piece,” Orym said over the cheering, his voice wavering from sobs, “And with quite the entrance, I must say.”

“How?” Elnok said, leaning back, staring at his perfectly healthy friend. “I thought… you should be dead .”

“Wow, those are your first words to me?” Orym jested. “Shouldn’t they be something more like, I missed you Orym , or, wow, look how handsome you got while I was away. ”

“Fuck you.” Elnok laughed, hugging him again, “I did miss you. But how are you not sick anymore?”

“No one’s sick anymore,” Orym replied. “No one in Vutror; no one in the nearest fishing village. Everyone’s been cured.”

Realization thrummed through Elnok as he leaned back, turning around to Sylzenya. Tears stained her face, a smile gracing her lips, a beautiful stream of colored paper decorating her long windswept hair.

“Oh my gods,” Elnok whispered.

“What?” Orym asked. “Are you two… fucking? Because it certainly seems like you two are fucking.”

“She… she healed everyone.”

Orym stalled. “Her? She… she did this?”

“Yes,” Elnok said, shaking his head, “She really did.”

Suddenly, a woman barged through the crowd, her beige linen clothes catching the breeze as she yelled Orym’s name at the top of her lungs.

Yenna, Orym’s nurse from the coastal village.

“You forgot your damn medicine!” Yenna yelled, running into them as she shoved through people.

Elnok laughed. “Still his nurse even after his cure?”

Yenna’s eyes widened as she finally noticed Elnok.

“Gods, you really made it back,” she exclaimed, wrapping him in a quick hug, “Your friend here is even worse when he can walk. Can barely keep up with him these past two days. Oi! Orym! Just because you feel better doesn’t mean it’s all gone, alright? I swear, if you don’t listen to me?—”

Orym swept her into his arms and kissed her.

“Better?” he asked her.

Her face flushed, cheeks pink as she forced the medicine into his open palm, a trace of a sheepish smile lining her lips.

Elnok crossed his arms and raised a brow, a wide smile pulling at his mouth.

Orym shook his head. “You’re not the only one who’s been busy.”

Turning around, Elnok caught Sylzenya’s eye, her smile broad as she motioned for them to keep walking. He wrapped his arm around Orym as they continued the journey up to the castle gates. His crew met him in the crowd, shouting and yelling, embracing him with tears and stories of the wonders since everyone had been miraculously healed. Elnok laughed and cried with them until they reached the castle.

Standing at the entrance was Tosh.

Elnok stopped. His brother wore a deep maroon tunic, the sleeves billowing out at his wrists. Black hair draped past his chest, shining and healthy. His face was no longer sunken in, but filled and round, a glowing olive tan on his face. A faint smile sat on his mouth, one that looked so much like their mother’s.

Stepping forward, Tosh bowed before Elnok.

“Welcome home, brother.”

Unwinding his arm from around Orym, Elnok stood before his brother. He sniffed the air, trying his best to detect if any wine stained his breath.

“You’re healed,” Elnok said.

Tosh nodded. “Happened the same as everyone else. Two days ago, everyone began to recover, myself included.” He raised his hands. “I haven’t touched wine since, and I feel as if I’m thinking clearly for the first time in over a decade.”

“That wine you were drinking, Tosh, it wasn’t normal wine. There’s a lot to explain.”

Tosh folded his hands. “I figured there might be. But before we go through all the grating royal welcome festivities, I want you to know what I’ll be presenting to you in our castle.” A servant approached him from behind, the blue-and-red-jeweled Vutrorian crown on a maroon pillow. “Elnok, my time as king has been nothing but chaos. I don’t belong on the throne, and if what I think is true, that you’re part of the reason our kingdom is healed, then I think the plan moving forward is obvious.”

He turned to the servant, taking hold of the crown and extending it to Elnok.

“If you wish for it, you would make our mother and father proud as the King of Vutror.”

Elnok stared at the gilded crown, fingers trembling. The one his father had worn during his time. The one Elnok had been accused of stealing over and over again. And now, the one his brother freely gave to him.

Elnok turned around. Orym wore a confident smile. His crew waited in expectation. The Estean entourage seemed full of hope and anticipation.

He met Sylzenya’s gaze. She smiled, giving him a small nod, quickly wiping a tear from her cheek.

She would be adventuring across the continent—reviving it. Accepting this crown would mean returning home, but “home” wasn’t the gray stone castle where he was born.

Home was deep blue eyes, long ash-colored hair, skin that smelled of roses—just like the rose tea she loved so much—and long nights of conversation and pleasuring each other until they fell asleep. Home was soft skin and a pink scar running along a supple back.

Elnok faced his brother.

“Tosh, what happened to us ten years ago, it’s done. Over.”

His brother’s back straightened, hands trembling. “Elnok, I’m so sorry?—”

“It’s…” Elnok took a deep breath. “Look, what happened, it was wrong. And even though you’ll come to learn there was more at play… what happened can’t be taken away. But I need you to know that I’ve moved on from it. We can’t change what we did back then, but we can be different now.”

Tosh’s throat bobbed. “I think so too.”

Elnok smiled. “Good. And I think mother and father would want you to finally have a chance to lead this kingdom like you’d always wanted to. My path lies elsewhere.” He glanced back, catching Sylzenya’s eye. “Let’s move forward on our own paths, Tosh. I think we both deserve that, don’t you?”

Tosh shook his head, placing the crown back on the pillow. “A miscreant your entire childhood, and now you show up as possibly one of the wisest people I’ve met. How did that come to pass?”

Elnok smirked. “Being a miscreant isn’t all that bad, you know. You should try it sometime.”

They laughed, warm and bright.

Elnok grinned. “Kharis! Get your ass up here, now .”

Clanking armor sounded, Kharis’ rushed footsteps reaching Elnok’s side.

“Do you need something, Elno?—?”

“Oh shut up, Kharis, and kiss my brother already.” Elnok shoved Kharis into his brother’s arms.

Elnok raised his arms and everyone erupted into elated shouts. His crew threw the colored paper they’d collected, for gods know what reason, into the air while his brother and Kharis kissed one another passionately for all to see.

“Thank you, Elnok,” Tosh said, “You’re a good man.”

Elnok turned back around, giving his brother a nod. “People keep saying that to me, and I’m not sure how I like it.”

“Well, it’s true,” Kharis replied, holding Tosh close, “Better get used to it.”

“And you better make him your king, Tosh,” Elnok said, pointing to Kharis. “I’m sure an alliance between Vutror and Estea would only be beneficial at this time.”

Elnok turned back around, patting Orym’s shoulder as he rushed past his crew over to Sylzenya, picking her up in his arms and combing his hands through her hair.

“Are you not accepting the crown?” she asked, eyes wide.

“That rusted thing? Never.” He grinned. “Besides, why would I ever leave a woman who likes my rope just as much as I do?”

Her eyes narrowed, hands on either side of his face. “Are you certain about this? I’m planning on leaving in a few days.”

“And you think you can get rid of me that easily?”

“It’s not going to be luxurious. It’ll be hard work, probably monster hunting involved?—”

“I’d journey with you to the ends of the earth, Sylzenya. And if we made it there and you asked me if I wanted to journey to the heavens, I’d be by your side then, too.”

Smiling wider than he’d ever seen before, she kissed his lips, her tongue finding his as he spun her, the anticipation of life adventuring by her side until they were old and gray causing his heart to burst with color.

What a joy, he’d decided, it was to be alive.