Endalia

Valeray II

    The little girl is about ten years old, blond, average height and rather skinny. She looks like she hasn’t been fed for days. She’s barely conscious.

         “This is what I meant.” My mother whispers in my ear. “We need to save the little girl and escape. The Lady Duchess is more than willing to keep us safe in return that we fight these Priests and work to save people like this girl here.”

         I nod. It’s not like we have much of a choice. I am not one for leaving a little girl to death via angry-Priest-with-oo-look-I-have-fire! attitude.

         I whisper back, “So what do you want me to do?” I ask her.

         Her whisper is barely audible. “Drench the girl so she can’t be lit. I’ll do the rest.” As she whispers, the grass around her starts to wave, stronger and stronger.

         Within moments it’s obvious she’s doing something. People start to stare as she makes the Earth obey her commands.

         She abandons all secrecy and tells me in an even, calm voice to drench the girl with water.

         I raise my arm and point at the pond she’s in. I will the water cats and liquid frogs to cover the girl, but still let her breath. Within moments she’s covered in writhing bodies of water-animals.

         My mother raises both arms. I’ve never seen her use her full power before. What I see is amazing.

         “Giants of the Earth! Fighters in the forest! Protect me! Come to me!” She whips her hair out and it turns to vines complete with flowers. Her entire body starts to turn to Earthen qualities.

         Her eyes turn to bright red berries. Her limbs are wooden and her fingers are vine snails and slugs. Each nail turns to an eye for the snail or slug. Her mouth becomes nothing but a scratch in the wooden carving that is her face.

         Behind her, two huts start to wobble. They rise up, and I see that they have turned into Earthen Giants with giant clubs of stone and wood. They’re long-limbed and have almost no abdomen. Surrounding their feet are forest fighters; tree-bears and earthen cats, stone trolls and vine snakes.

         My mother, now a part of the Earth as much as she can be, strides forwards without actually moving her legs. I realize she’s rooted into the Earth and is manipulating her roots to move her. She grabs the Priest by his jacket.

         “Where is the rest of your camp? I know you have reinforcements! Don’t lie to me!” My mother’s voice is calm and quiet, but it somehow manages to be a frightening scream, a peaceful song, and her usual stern all at the same time.

         The Priest simply quivers and points off to the east. Then he faints.

         My mother whips around. Looking at me, she says “Go stand in the pond. You’ll know what to do then. We need all the fighters we can get and the water-fighters will be useful.”

         I do just that.

         As I step into the water, ancient knowledge seeps into my head. I raise both my arms above my head, graceful as a ballet dancer. The water encompasses me. I am astonished when my entire body turns into water. I feel it solidify for my eyes. I have ice shards for eyes.

         I will every water-fighter for leagues around to rise and come to me. Water-animals in general are fast moving creatures. Evaporating, they can teleport almost instantly. In moments I’m surrounded by water-fighters.

         I see many water-leopards and ice-eagles around me. The ice-eagles are taller than I am and the water-leopards are constantly shifting shape, liquid living up to its name. I even see a few fog-owls and a giant, fish-scaled and massive. It holds a huge whip made of ice and mist.

         “Birds,” I say, “scout the surrounding area for any signs of Priest encampments.” I watch as they fly away.