The Elven Powers

Chapter Twenty One: Out there on our own (Galandria)

I watched Mogel's purple robes sway about him as he left to collect his belongings. I watched him fade into the shadows before I sagged to the earth. I propped my back up against the tree breathing hard. My neck was still sore from my encounter with Morgel. I felt like a startled rabbit gazing about me wide-eyed trying to get a grasp on things. I relived the last few moments in a surreal blur. I had been crying when Morgel had shown up. His pretentious attitude pushed me to anger. I verbally lashed out finally getting out the way he made me feel. After all these years he treated the world like it didn't matter. All that mattered to him was reputation. 

But that wasn't true. Not anymore. He had lashed out so viciously and so rapidly, I hardly had the time to react.  I had no idea they were such good friends. I now felt guilty whining about him to Elrohir. Elrohir clearly didn't just pity him, he befriended him a long time ago. I understood. It was possible they could have met in the second realm, hence the political training without me being able to find a trace of him. I wondered when Morgel had been shipped off to Killelvris. Probably immediately judging by the way he didn't trust the world. We had both been ripped away from everything we had ever known, but in the end I think we had always known deep down our families weren't as they appeared.

I still felt a pang of sadness thinking back to my old life. Its hard feeling so prepared for a simple kind of life then having your world turned around. Even thinking about it made it seem like less of a big deal then it was at the time. I guessed, that had to do with being used to this life by now. Being used to being a Guardian. I felt full of purpose defending the weak of the kingdom. Elrohir was next on my list to defend. Weather I was or wasn't doing this under the tree's mysterious and powerful ways of protecting us, I wanted to help. I had never felt obligated to carry out orders. It was more like the Tree and I shared a common purpose. We both wanted to help the people and the land around us to live in peace. 

I took a few deep breaths drinking in the cool night air. The moon high above me gave a somewhat good vision on this, a cloudless night. The fringe of the forest lay just to my left. It's dark branches would invite our small party westward for a few days, before arriving at Tasathhel- the wall of sadness. I thought once more of the white witch's fate and wondered if a similar fate awaited me. We still had no idea who controlled the Corkash army, and it could easily be as dark a sorceress as the one who ended the white witch's life. I felt suddenly slightly scared. It did not override my will to go after Elrohir though. My heart could not survive being split as it was without him. 

After a few hours of contemplation I moved and stretched out my limbs. Several muscles complained, my shoulder especially even if it was now close to a full recovery. I would have to train it out as much as I could on our journey. Now more than ever I had to be prepared for the road ahead. I stood, using the tree to support my weight before finally shifting it onto my legs once more. I felt a little wobbly to begin with but surprisingly steady and the pain around my neck was gone. I grabbed my pack and checked its contents. After rummaging around for a bit my eyes fell on the flask in the bottom of my pack.

I opened it looking to see what I might find. It felt vaguely important for some reason. I looked in to see perfectly clear water shining against the moonlight. I gasped as the memories flooded back of the scene by the pool. I remembered when I dipped my arm in. I touched the now flawless skin recalling how it had knit itself back together that day. Then I thought of the muscle in my shoulder. I knew it was a big risk. I didn't have much of the pool's water in that one small flask. However, I would need my shoulder if I was to help protect Morgel and myself on our journey. Our enemies were bound to attack us again. It was clear they wanted me still, they had said as much on the day Elrohir was captured. 

I looked at my bow and my arm, weighing up my options. I did not know how much I might need a good amount of water later on, especially now Morgel and I would be travelling alone. If I used it and both of us gained too many wounds later, it could be some time before we found a surgeon or anyone of kind heart. On the other hand, in a critical moment I would need my shooting arm at its best. We were more likely to survive only if I concentrated during an attack. I decided to go with that. I would still have some left in an emergency and there was less likely be one with my shooting arm. I poured a small trickle and rubbed it around my shoulder muscle. I felt instant relief and sighed.

I had been staring at the full moon for quite some time now. I began to grow restless. I was fed up with thinking only of what might go wrong on the journey. I wanted to be off and face those dangers rather than sit here and worry. I had always faced my fears, I refused to be grounded just because I felt afraid. Finally Morgel stepped out of the darkness. He looked tired but he straightened up when he saw me. There was no trace of remorse on his face as he strode up to me with his pack slung casually on his shoulder. He seemed eager to be off too.

"Lets go..." He half whispered. He took a short look in the direction of the camp before facing me again. "I don't want to be caught before we can even leave." He then brushed past me walking slowly off towards the trees. I looked back towards the camp for what was to be my last time. They would be ok without us. I smiled and thought See you there before turning and walking briskly to catch up with Morgel. 

I caught up with him moments later, slowing my pace to match his stride. He glanced in my direction for a moment but otherwise kept his eyes on the road ahead. I watched his face, emotionless but somewhat determined. I concluded he had wanted this just as much as me. Soon the trees swallowed us up and we trudged through the thick mossy floor of the forest. I didn't regret not bringing a torch. With our elf eyes we could see clearly under the thin canopy of leaves. The moon still broke through the canopy shining on our path ahead. The path to Elrohir.