Legends of Ivaloria

Chapter 21

Eloria looked as the towers of Likemist slowly took shape below her. 

She had skipped Mans on purpose, as Likemist would be easier, because she knew Lady Kathryn and hoped she'd readily join them, given that Vaelor was with them already. Even if Lady Kathryn did not accept, her white flag would stop her from getting attacked.

She looked at her small flag, and sighed. Eloria had offered to help to make the flags bigger, but the craftsmen of Mins had refused. 

Eloria landed on the space marked as the landing zone on the top of the central tower. She remembered the last time she'd been here, with Astryn, to take Vaelor away and heal Alyssa. 

"Hello," said Eloria, to one of the guards coming up to her.

"Eloria Deepwater?" said one, recognizing her.

"Your father has been looking for you," said another.

"Is my father here?" asked Eloria, suddenly terrified.

"No, he's at Lovelake," said the first guard. 

"I do not wish to speak to my father," said Eloria. "I have come on a peace mission."

The two guards looked at each other. "Peace?" said the first guard. "There'll never be an end to this madness."

"There will," protested the other guard. "Sooner or later one side will triumph, and the other side will lose."

"But when?" said the first guard. "You don't even know when."

Eloria interrupted their argument. "I seek an audience with Lady Kathryn Mist," she said.

"We will take you," said the guards. They led her to the elevator, and descended to Level 50. 

"Lady Kathryn stays in the middle floor," said the first guard. "In this way, she's connected to the messengers coming from both the sky and the land.

"Clever," muttered Eloria. She knocked in a violet door labeled with the lady's name.

A voice called from within. "Open." The violet doors slid backwards with an almost inaudible sound.

"Voice recognition? Genius," said Eloria.

Lady Kathryn rose. She was wearing a dress of pure green, embroidered with leaves here and there. As Eloria got closer, she realized those were real leaves - as green as a leaf could be, fixed upon a dress.

"Eloria, child," said Lady Kathryn. "You have been away from home for far too long."

"I have found a new home," said Eloria.

"With the rebels?" asked Lady Kathryn.

"Yes," said Eloria. She felt no guilt in admitting that she was a part of the Uprising.

"I think Vaelor is with you," said Lady Kathryn.

"Is he?" said Eloria.

"He disappeared on the very night the famed Clandestine appeared on our roof, and the very night Astryn Sands and you escaped from Lord Rhaevon Frize? This cannot be just a coincidence," said Lady Kathryn.

Eloria had to smile. She missed the company of Lady Kathryn. "Yes, he's with us now," she confessed.

"Oh well, I suppose it's for the better," said Lady Kathryn.

"What do you mean?" asked Eloria.

"I'm considering joining the Uprising myself," said Lady Kathryn.

"Really?" said Eloria. "You want to do the very thing I came here about without me giving my very epic speech?"

Lady Kathryn laughed. "I'm with you now," she said. "I've always liked you, from when you were a little girl. I could see you and Vaelor had a natural connection."

"He's two-thirds of the scientific part of our team," said Eloria.

"I'm afraid your father has deteriorated since you left him," said Lady Kathryn. "He hardly shows himself anymore except for very important events, and even then his body appears rugged and thin."

"I do not care," said Eloria. She had put a band of steel over the part in her heart which concerned her father. "The man who would lie to me and my friends and almost kill my friend is not my father."

"Well said, child," said Lady Kathryn. "I will go with you to Mans, Lors, and all the other territories you were sent to seek help from. My presence will accelerate those proceedings."

"How can I trust you?" said Eloria.

Lady Kathryn smiled. "You can't," she said. "But know this - I will stand by you and Vaelor, whatever choice you take."

"That's good for me," said Eloria.

Lady Kathryn sent for her steward, whom she appointed as the ruler in Likemist until she returned. The steward gratefully nodded.

"Isn't this a Lovelake jet?" asked Lady Kathryn, once inside.

"We make do with what we have," said Eloria. "The Clandestine is damaged, so we repaired one of the defeated Lovelake ships."

"I can do you one better," said Lady Kathryn. She got out, and shouted for her guards. In a short while, the guards started lugging something covered with a huge cloth.

"We designed it ourselves, taking inspiration from the famous Clandestine," said Lady Kathryn. She signaled at the guards, who uncovered the plane with one swift motion.

Eloria's breath caught in her throat. Before her stood the most beautiful plane she had ever seen. Decorated with white and gray markings, the sleek plane had the structure of a speed jet, but inside was lots of space, even more than on the Clandestine. The jet had long guns attached to both its sides.

"We named it Victory," said Lady Kathryn, with a hint of pride in her voice.

"It's awesome!" said Eloria. She hopped out of the Lovelake jet, which looked like a piece of junk metal next to Victory. She ran to the new plane.

"How do I open it?" asked Eloria.

"Guess," said Lady Kathryn, grinning.

The realization hit Eloria like an earthquake. "Open," she said, hoping against hope. And the doors slid open with not a sound.

"Yes!" shouted Eloria. "Voice recognition is the best!"

Lady Kathryn laughed, and followed Eloria into Victory.

Later, much later, Eloria and Lady Kathryn descended at Mins. "Mission successful," said Eloria. "We've got to call Alyssa. We have a new strong supporter, and most importantly, a new plane."