The Shield Bearer

Chapter 21

Rene was dumbstruck. While she could easily see the resemblance between herself and this frost elf, she was unclear as to how it was possible. According to all that she had learned at the temple, humans and elves could not produce offspring. She shared many features with this frost elf, but she lacked the long, pointed ears. Of course, she was human. Wasn't she?

"Dyna, I believe that you may have gotten ahead of yourself." Rysor admonished the elven woman. "Why don't you go back to the others and allow me to explain things to Rene."

Dyna nodded, but paused for another moment, giving Rene a long look. That look conveyed so many conflicted emotions. Rene could see, that Dyna was both excited to see her and terrified of her. After that look, Dyna turned and returned to the group of frost elves, all standing a comfortable distance away from Rene and Rysor.

"Now, Rene. I want you to just sit and listen to what I have to say. Let me finish, before you ask any questions, please." Rysor's voice had taken on the tone of a practiced instructor. He then rose and took a few steps out from Rene and turned to face her.

Rene felt comforted by his tone. It reminded her of her time in school.

"Let us begin." Rysor met Rene's eyes, intently and began to explain things to Rene.

Let me preface, with a basic explanation about the cousins of the frost elves, the true elves. The true elves, were the first elven race to walk the realm. They were the closest to the weave of all of the races, and thus were always under it's active effects from the moment of their birth.

You see, the weave is not a static force. It is continuously in a state of change, shaping everything that it touches and being shaped by those who touch back. This continuous state of change, also applies to those who wield the gifts of the weave. The true elves were changed by the weave and by the way that they interacted with it. They learned over time, that they could use this changeability to shapeshift, taking on the forms of other living creatures, while maintaining their own individual identities.

They also discovered, that their close connection to the weave, made them nearly immortal. Their life spans rivaled that of the servants of the divinities, the ones that mortals call gods and demigods. With such a long span to dwell in this realm, they had the time to learn many of the secrets of both the physical and metaphysical realms. Their mastery of magic, became so great, that the very gods felt threatened by them. But that fear was abated, when they learned the price the true elves had paid, for their strong connection to the weave.

You see, while the weave is an essential part of life as we know it, it is also the veil through which those whose lives have expired, must pass. The price of walking on that border, touching both the world of the living and the world of the dead, is and was the ability to pass their gifts on, to the next generation. The True Elves had lost the ability to bear young. The only way that they could regain this, most blessed of gifts, was to step back from the weave and live their lives as mortals did.

Most of them, chose to do just that. They gave up their ability to shapeshift and intermingled with their elven cousins. The gift of making a new life, was more valuable to them, than all of the power they had obtained. Most, would find a community, that they were comfortable with and take the physical form of that race, as their last transformation. In taking on that chosen form and letting go of their supernatural abilities, they became the race that they had chosen, in all aspects, including life span and the ability to bear children of that race.

But there were those, among the true elves, that couldn't bear to give up their power, in exchange for the ability to have children. Some lacked the desire to have children. Others decided to pass their knowledge on, through the act of teaching and advising. And some, had become addicted to the power and could not let it go.