The Forgotten Hero

VII - The Plan

Looking over the shelves of the underground room, Liana found many things she did not expect to see. Several photo frames, both on the shelves and hanging on the rock wall, contained the image of a woman. In some of them she held a small child, and one with an older child that could have been the same person. Liana guessed it was a wife or girlfriend of Elias, perhaps an older sister, and then wondered if Elias had any children. Not that he would have told them if he did, or any personal details. All the pictures together made her think of a shrine, and she thought it strange for someone like Elias to have such a thing.

Although she realised that they had only just met the real Elias. The war hero, Auren Ellaison. She still couldn't believe it. The hero of the Shadow Wars. The old stories said that he had died shortly after the wars, or that he had ascended to the godly realms. No one had heard from him in decades.

And they had stumbled upon him in the Jungle of Ari. It was a story straight out of the old tales.

She flexed her feet, feeling the soothing balm squash between her toes. Elias–Auren–whoever he was–had tended to their damaged feet, and after applying a cool salve, he had given them leather moccasins which stretched and tightened to their foot size.

Liana never thought she'd be so happy for such simple footwear.

She picked up a photo frame that caught her eye. The woman was smiling, though her large eyes were sorrowful. Her brown hair hung loose and fell over her slender shoulders. Behind her appeared to be a cave, and the red rocks reminded Liana of something–of pictures of the underground caves that the Umbrai Incola live in.

"My mother," Elias said from behind, his deep voice startling her. "She died when I was young."

Liana was afraid to meet his eyes, and so kept her gaze on the photo. "She's beautiful," she told him, and replaced the photo frame.

"She was an Umbrai Incola," Elias admitted.

A shuffling from behind told her that Jerrim was nearby.

"I am half Halitae-Magus, and half Umbrai Incola," Elias went on, his voice becoming sorrowful. "When I fought in the Shadow Wars, I fought against some of my kin."

She finally turned to him, finding his face closer to hers than she thought.

"I always thought the Umbrai were a peaceful race," she told him.

"They are," he said. "Although the Army of Nox had different ideals. They were cast out by the rest of their kind once they declared war on Eclauria." He paused a moment before adding, "It is easy for the past to consume you. While we cannot forget what has been, we must not let it affect our present. Or future."

Liana searched for the words to give. She had never known their protector to be so open.

Elias kept his keen eyes on her before turning away, and addressed Jerrim. "And how are you, young man?"

Jerrim laid a hand to his bandaged side. "Better. But... still a long way to recovery. I can still fight though." He added this last part quickly.

"It would not do well to be so hasty to fight," Elias told him. Auren. Liana had to remember to use his real name. But she was so used to calling him Elias.

"But I need to fight. To..." Jerrim's eyes darted to Liana before sheepishly looking away. "To help," he added sullenly. His voice rose when he said, "I say we go out there and rush them, take them by surprise. I see some weapons in here, and what can be used as weapons. If we all go out there at the same time–"

"We will all die at the same time," Elias said sternly. "No one ever won a battle by rushing blindly into it. It is not courageous to let your enemies kill you so easily. We don't know how many men are out there. What their strategies are. What their intentions are."