Keeper of the Lost Cities: Elysian

Chapter 58

Winter came quickly, faster than Elysian had expected.

Over time, water, earth, and wind grew more and more frigid. The ground was covered with snow and the river was frozen.

However, Elysian could still feel and control them, as she could with the snow. Snow was a foreign word and concept, but it was simply frozen water that blanketed everything in white.

She was accustomed to her life- a daily ritual consisting of reading, sketching, practicing her abilities, and talking to Wyrden. However, every day felt like going in circles in an endless maze- she seldom read a new book, had the inspiration to draw something new, and every conversation was about the same topics.

Both of them had agreed that they weren't ready to go to the place where Elysian was meant to go- that something was missing from their plan.

"Where are we even supposed to go?" Elysian asked, gripping her head. "Is the place underground? In the sky? Or in the middle of nowhere?"

"The records didn't say," Wyrden sighed, as frustrated as she was. "For all we know, it could all be a myth, or something mystical and beyond our understanding."

"So all the dwarves knew was that there was a place... somewhere? That's it?"

"It had a name... an ancient name in one of the old languages. It translates roughly to... heaven. Or paradise."

"So it could be an old sanctuary," Elysian offered. "Maybe for a forgotten or- supposedly- extinct species. Heaven just sounds too far-fetched."

"Do you believe in the afterlife?" Wyrden asked curiously. "Or just life after death."

"I don't know," Elysian replied. "I've never thought much about dying in general- my entire life has been a fight for survival, both physically and emotionally. When I die, I would hope to have accomplished great things in the world and made an impact before then... and I would accept it knowing that everything I did was meaningful."

Wyrden's eyes went out of focus. "Elysian- the name you chose for yourself- do you know what it means?"

The ocean of time washed onto the shore of reality, and she remembered the past.

The past when she was Ellie. And even before that.

"I don't know," Elysian said. "I think I made it up, because it's not a word. Or, perhaps, a long time ago, I saw the word and it was just pulled out of my brain randomly as I was looking for a good one."

"It is a good name," Wyrden said, smiling. "My name translates roughly to fate, if that makes any sense. It's ironic that I don't believe in its existence."

The waves tugged her back, bringing frigid pain as she saw Will's face.

But she couldn't focus on that now, and she turned away from the ocean, the sound of the waves.

Elysian turned to her abilities. With one hand, she summoned a flame, and with the other, she produced an orb of water.

Then she slammed them into each other, making a trail of steam float up into the air.

"I wonder what this is for," Elysian sighed, as she made a flower bloom on a nearby plant and brought a gentle breeze to make the leaves dance.

So far, this was the extent of her abilities. If she was trying, she was sure she could bring mass destruction to the cave and the surrounding landscape- Wyrden warned her about the danger of hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, earthquakes, and other disasters.

But what was she supposed to do?

"Maybe the universe is equipping you for battle," Wyrden guessed, although he didn't seem very convinced. "Maybe wherever we're supposed to go has someone or something you have to fight."