Sylfaena

  I was chasing someone, someone lost in a distant memory. I was in a bleak featureless void surrounded by mist, and when I saw that person’s translucent form I ran towards it. I cried out to that person.

  “Why…why did you wait for so long? Why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t you find happiness? Please! Tell me!”

  But that person gave no answers. That person was long gone, I knew it, and yet I kept on running towards that smile. I knew what I’d done. I knew what damage I’d caused. My sin. I’m no angel, I’m not! I was running, wanting to cry but no sound would come out, for I had no tears left in me and barely any breath. And then-

  CRASH!

  A bump in the road jolted me out of my slumber; in spite of myself I'd managed to fall asleep in an awkward position. Ugh, of course I’d have a crick in my neck after that. I cradled the spot where it hurt and started pouring magic into it; praise Elianora for my innate elvish healing. We had been on the road for nearly five days straight and had passed through Wheaton not long ago. Some of our elite riders were with us, of course. Crowned with winged helms and bearing blue capes they were a fearsome and impressive force that could win even outnumbered ten to one. After what had nearly happened to Illiana, father wasn't about to take any more chances. No more rookies on royal escorts, that was the new policy.

  Ugh, he knows Nenewyn can teleport us away at need, does he not? Nenewyn was not keen on the idea of teleporting to Caer Caradon after having taken my brothers all over the place but she would surely use teleportation to save our hides of course.

  "No," she said, coldly, though I could almost picture her shouting absolutely not! "I couldn't teleport us there even if I weren't weary from over-exertion. Princess, do you know how many summers I have seen? Half as many as his majesty, easily. In all of that time, I've never actually been to the Cara Kingdom. As a matter of fact, I am older than the city of Caer Caradon! The last time I was anywhere near that area it was all wilderness. Devastated wilderness soaked in the ash and dust of the crumbling Gaian empire. Humans are a resilient lot and they rebuilt their civilization as usual, but I was too busy reading to go gallivanting across the map to see what they'd made, and then I got appointed court mage and as you are well aware that's a full-time job!"

  I understood her, of course. When Nenewyn was much younger she lived in one of our outposts within the empire. Her home town was completely destroyed during the calamity that saw it collapse and she was the only surviving member of her family. Master Tarian had taken her in at that time and that is how she came to study at the Grand University of magic. This was after wandering for many long years all alone in the wilderness and enduring so much hardship, the details of which she’d never related to me - the one whom she’d opened up to the most. The way she spoke of such horrors matter-of-factly and with a straight face, sigh, how I envy her mental fortitude.

  But knowing what she’d been through, I wasn't even going to bother to point out that what she'd just said wasn't exactly true. She must have passed through the kingdom on her way to Daz Grund when our father went there to establish relations with the dwarves - then again she'd have been cloistered inside a carriage with the windows shut and not gotten a good enough look outside to lock onto the area. Illiana and Valyrian had come on that trip too, I'd heard, and they'd even done some sightseeing in Andalon. Oh, upon thinking of Illiana I realized I needed to let her know that we were near; I focused and cast Transmission.

  "Illiana, we are less than a day away, should arrive by evening."

  I felt the reply "Oh Wonderful! We'll start preparing dinner! You'll love Sir Victor's meat"

  I cringed, I weighed whether it was worth wasting mana on to cast a second spell, and, yes, in the end, I decided that it was indeed worth the mana expenditure and the added fatigue. Repeating a single spell multiple times in rapid succession can lead to horrible side effects such as headaches, nausea, diarrhea, and dizziness but I could experience all of those things all at once and it would be worth it in this situation.

  "Phrase your statements better, dear sister, pray heed me on this."

  Illiana’s response was: "I'm so sorry! Sir Victor also cried out 'phrasing' when I sent that reply. Oh, and ask for Red Lightning at the desk."

  I pictured her drooping like a flower in shame and smiled a little; I’d missed her adorable reactions and couldn’t wait to see them in person. When we finally arrived at the designated inn we were directed to a room upstairs, wait, room, singular? Were they already sharing a room? Perhaps even a bed - no, Sylfaena, don't jump to conclusions.

  Not that it was any of my business but, wait, of course it was my business! I mean I'd had human boyfriends before but I'd known them for longer before it went very far, and I'd never run off with any of them a few nights after we'd first met either! Relationships with humans could be complicated and I didn't want my sister to get hurt. That she could make the same error as I was a deep and abiding fear I held.

  I knocked on the door and who should open the door but my sweet little sister herself - of course she hugged us both and let us inside; ah, my fears were allayed for it was in fact a suite rather than a single room, and my sister had her own private chamber. I took off my hat and let my hair down. Nenewyn and I sat on a sofa, and Illiana sat on a chair. The suite was quite a lovely place actually but I didn’t have time to marvel for there was much to discuss.

  "Illiana," I said, unsure what to say next, my sister looked a great deal more confident than she used to, yes, she looked quite well, "I can't tell you how glad I am to see you healthy and happy - especially after all the absurd things I'd heard about you lately."

  "So you know about what happened," she cast her gaze down, "Of course you would, Hanzorian must have briefed you."

  "He did, and he gave us papers and someone came with us who can - gah! Chiyo, you don't need to hide, you know."

  "Apologies," said Chiyorielle as she removed her hood and joined us on the couch, Illiana gave a start, then a look of recognition. "Fourth princess." She saluted.

  "Ah, from the Popper mission - good to see you!"

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  With that out of the way, I sighed and continued, "Hanzorian did give us more details but it was actually Valyrian who told me the gist of what happened first. In fact it was he who ultimately convinced me to fully commit to fighting the Black Order. But we can talk more about that later, when everyone else is gathered. Where is your lover, this Victor Kirkland?"

  "Lover?" She cried, blushing, "Pray don't misunderstand! Sir Victor and I don't have that kind of a relationship! He hasn't even tried making a pass at me - he's been a perfect gentleman! In fact he does a great job protecting me and he fights well. The two of us make an excellent team. Though he does sometimes say things that could make a girl swoon, but I'm sure he has that effect on all women."

  Well that was comforting, but at the same time, "things such as?"

  "There was this very wicked magic-user who tried to summon a demon," she stood up and did a gesture with her index finger and thumb, "then he took out his pistol, shot the man dead and said," she lowered her pitch "I don't fear demons, they fear me." She sat down and crossed her arms, "read nothing into it - a compliment is a compliment, like when he shouted down some mean darkborn who-"

  I didn't get to hear the rest of the story, nor did I have the opportunity to ask what a pistol was, because the man himself showed up - the scent of freshly prepared food filled the room; I was already shaking, not from fear, but from, whatever godly aroma that was. It was a complex bouquet that I’d never smelt before, my stomach was suddenly growling. I silenced my excited hunger and gave the man a good, focused look.

  Victor Kirkland wasn't at all what I expected, although I wasn't sure what one was supposed to expect from a person born outside of the world itself. Father assured me it was true, his soulsight proved it, but moreover Nenewyn had seen his strange craft before. The one capable of traversing a many-day's march in a matter of hours without the aid of magic; the Ca-dil-lac. As a scholar I couldn't help but have questions regarding this other world and if there was time I wanted to ask as many of them as possible.

  There was someone else there, too, a dour figure, pale of skin, black of hair except for a lock that started in the middle of his forehead - that face, where had I seen it? Fatter, greasier, much less scrupulous, it had been? No matter, that food smelled delicious, and both men were carrying trays of it. Steak and some sort of chops, I thought. They were clearly covered in a thick coat of herbs and spices - how enticing! I'd had nothing but honeybiscuits since we left Tor Anaura - sustaining as those were, they lacked the complexity of whatever this was.

  Mister Kirkland saw us and said, "oh, perfect timing. I know you, you're Nenewyn the court wizard aren't you?"

  Nenewyn nodded, and said "Well met, Victor Kirkland of Texas, I am glad to see that you are in fair health and spirit."

  Gah, I quickly cast telekinesis, for the other man had suddenly dropped what he was carrying and started grasping the left side of his head. I managed to save the food! What the heck was going on? I saw that the other man was gaping wide-eyed at Nenewyn as though he’d just seen a ghost!

  "You. That voice…that name…you," he said, then sat down. Having regained control of the food tray, he laid it on the table.

  The unknown man took a deep breath and turned to Nenewyn. "I believe I've met you before, though t'was a very distant memory for me until just now. But I could be wrong. Is there any chance that you might have helped a little boy retrieve a book he couldn't reach shortly before all hell broke loose at the Grand University of Magic? Is it so, beautiful elf lady?"

  That pained smile was hard to look at.

  Nenewyn's features tightened, as if on the verge of some sort of epiphany, and she said hesitantly “Who are you?"

  "Allow me to introduce myself, if I may," he looked to Mister Kirkland who nodded, "Malcolm Kavian."

  Kavian. Wait. No way. Kavian? Wasn't that the name of, "are you the son of Duncan Kavian?"

  Nenewyn gasped, nearly choked, she'd realized the same thing I had just a moment ago. The young human nodded.

  "Yes," he said, trying to be cordial but, that face was wrought with sorrow. "I'm Archmage Merlinda's grandson. Pleased to make your acquaintance, you, whom I can only infer to be her highness the third- the third-"

  Oh here come the tears, from me too, actually. I couldn't contain myself. I lurched forward and took the poor man in my arms. The dam shattered and everything burst forth - everything made sense, I understood now!

  "Yet lives," I cried, choking on my tears, "That's what she meant. Those were her last words. Yet lives. She meant you! When she died she had a look of hope, and contentment. She tried to speak a full sentence but only those two words-"

  My voice failed me. I could only sob wordlessly as I clutched him tighter.

  "Thought I was dead, did you? Not hardly, quoth a duke from another world, or so Victor says,"

  That tone, was he trying to make me laugh? I did a little. I took a deep breath.

  "I didn't even know you existed; a grandchild was alluded to, she spoke of a bright boy eager to learn, but no details beyond that. Master Merlinda must have realized that she'd infected her own daughter and in a panic she teleported away, and back. I'd guessed she'd gone to see them."

  Mister Kavian looked solemn, "So that wasn't a dream after all. She really was there, wasn't she? Yes, she was too late - both my parents were already dead.” After a brief pause his face contorted in surprise, “Wait, she infected them? Not the other way around?"

  I nodded, "Yes. She was already suffering from the first stages of the disease before she teleported the three of you to the university."

  He groaned, "for the longest time I thought that my parents were the original vectors, patient zero and one. That it had all been my doing."

  My sister cried out, "is that why that bastard Fayd was saying it was your fault? That loathsome - Sir Victor, we must needs hie ourselves back to the forest so I can kick his corpse!"

  I don't know if he was actually being serious, but Mister Kirkland actually stood up and said, with a straight face, "I'll get my coat." That's a boyfriend move, sister, are you certain you aren't together?

  Nenewyn moved closer to Mister Kavian and said, "You really are that little boy I saw, aren't you? The one who called me- I mean, the one who so earnestly thanked me in the library. I did not know that you were archmage Merlinda's own blood. This explains why you vanished without a trace. But, how is it that you weren't infected yourself?"

  I had a theory, of course, formulated in the last minute or so, "When the three of you teleported, how were you configured?"

  Mister Kavian said, "Each of my parents held one of gran-gran's hands and I in turn held theirs. A circle, if you would."

  That had to be it. I nodded and said "I think…I think that the spellscourge only spread by direct spell-link contact between caster and recipient. Teleportation of multiple persons in a circular formation only requires physical contact between two persons, who would then act as a buffer and shield any subsequent persons in the circle from any mana-borne infections."

  Mister Kavian - nay, Malcolm - was silent for a long moment, and then burst into borderline maniacal laughter, "So that's how it was. In the end those neglectful sods wound up protecting me. The irony would be hilarious were it not farcically tragic." He sighed, and grinned widely, "So much tea spilt in one go, who's hungry?"

  I knew I was. The atmosphere of the room had gotten heavy. Yeah, changing the tune for a moment before getting down to business seemed the right call; oh what was this? They had a selection of drinks on offer as well. Pray, don't mind if I do!

  This certainly was unexpected, but not unwelcome.