Shattered Kingdoms | Book 2 ✔ (REWRITTEN AS 'THE EXILED KING')

Chapter 17 - A Moment in Time

"Do you think Jason is alright?"

Lirya looked at Jason's body, sprawled over Aelron's. Aelron's body had gone cold and stiff a long time ago, but Jason's body was still warm to the touch, and they were at a loss as to what to do. Suddenly Jason inhaled sharply, then gave a coughing fit. He rolled off Aelron's body and sank to the ground wearily.

"Jason?" Lirya approached him cautiously.

"What? Leave me be, girl!" He spat.

Lirya breathed in sharply, then said, "What's gotten into you, Jason? You always called me by my name, not my gender! What happened?"

"Come on, Lirya. Let him be alone. I think he needs to rest," Aidan dragged her away from Jason.

At the last moment, he raised his head and said to her, "I'm sorry, Lirya! I... I'm just a little shaken, is all."

"Of course," Lirya acknowledged, then let Aidan steer her away.

Once there were out of earshot, Aidan wheeled around and grabbed her shoulders.

"What was that about?"

"What?"

"Jason. He was acting funny. And you blew it off like it was nothing!" Aidan exclaimed.

"It was nothing. It's common to feel like that - I've felt that often enough. That sheer frustration, then you need to get it out, so you lash out at whoever it is!"

"No, he was-"

"Is everything alright?" Jason had snuck up on them, unnoticed.

"N-No! I mean- Yes!" Aidan stuttered.

Jason smiled, but his eyes were ice cold.

Lirya frowned, then asked, "How was it? Was Dey- Aelron alright?"

"It was fine. Aelron is alright," Jason answered.

"But how was the Ether?" She asked, curiosity getting the better of her.

His eyes flickered with an emotion she couldn't trace.

"It was cold... and it hurt. They punish you for every misdoing... even a simple lie. I'm really sorry that I was so cold to you... it was the aftereffects of the Ethertouch," He explained.

"That's okay, Jason," Lirya said, a smile curling her lips upwards.

She engulfed him in a hug, and he stood there, stiff. Then he relaxed into her embrace, wrapping his arms tightly around her. That was where she belonged, she realised. In the arms of her comrades. She drew out of the embrace and took his hand, "Come on! We need you, oh great warrior!" She joked, dragging him to the others.

Then she left him to the care of the others and went back to the clearing. Aelron was still there, face cold and waxen in the moonlight. Lirya knelt by her fallen friend and eased Aelron's eyes shut. She folded Aelron's hands on her chest and threaded a small white flower she had plucked, into Aelron's hair. It stood out starkly against her inky hair.

"Rest easy, now. You deserve it," Lirya whispered. She sat with Aelron's body, reminiscing of the past as the shadows lengthened and the sun slipped down and out of sight.

<--<< >>-->

"I'm begging you, Lord Pelos! Let me see Aelron! Please, just for a fleeting moment! I must know how she is!" Tellius cried.

As Aelron's teacher in the arts of those without sight, and her close friend as well, Tellius was frantic in his worry. In the time that they had grown to know each other, Tellius had grown affectionate of the woman who had been through so much, and still lived life free. He sat in the gardens around the White Tower, on the bench by the garden shrine. Pelos had been absent of late. Whenever Tellius felt in need of comfort or advice, he sent a small prayer to his Lord Pelos. But Pelos had been noticeably quiet, and Tellius had begun to become uneasy.

"I will show you what you want, but it will cost you. Are you willing to pay the price?"

Tellius jumped up with a cry, a felt around himself.

"Who's there?"

"Are you willing to pay the price?"

"W-What's the price?"

"A moment in time. I will take your soul to my realm for a week every month. For that, I will you show you the woman that you love."

"I don't love-" Tellius tried to protest, but soon realized that he couldn't lie to himself anymore.

"So... for seven days every month... I'll be taken to your realm? In exchange for seeing Aelron this one time?"

"That is right. Are you willing to pay the price?"

No, he wanted to cry, but instead he said, "Yes. I'll do it, for her."

"Cut your palm. Seal the oath with a blood promise and I will show you her."

A dagger slowly shimmered into existence and landed by his feet with a thud. Tellius heard and stooped, fingers searching for the hilt. It was a dark dagger, with runes the color of blood etched along the blade and the aura of the dagger repelled Tellius, but he fought against his disgust and grasped it, gritting his teeth against the bolt of pain that shot through his hand - A clear testament that it a dagger forged by those who lived life in darkness. Still, he steeled himself and held his other palm out, then brought the dagger down on his hand. Bright blood spurted, and Tellius gasped, dropping the dagger. The hand that held the dagger was stained black, but he couldn't see that. He also couldn't see when the darkness seeped up on his arm, creating an intricate ink mark of sorts.

"It is done. See now the fate of Aelron of Heresh."

A single image, akin to a memory, surfaced in his head.

"No!" He cried, heart shattering into a million irretrievable pieces, "No! It can't be!"

Aelron was in a clearing, her hair a halo around her pale face. A single white flower had been lovingly set in her hair. But she was dead.

Tears fell from his sightless eyes as he relieved that picture, over and over. Aelron was dead. The beautiful girl that he had come to love - was gone.

"Pelos. You've done much for me, but I beg of you - A final favor. See her buried as she should have been - not left in a clearing to rot. Let all who pass see some memento of her, please, my Lord."

For a moment, Tellius felt a warm wind caress his cheek, and for a moment he was filled with warmth and contentedness. Then the feeling left and his heartbreak returned, but his heart felt lighter in knowing that his Lord was watching over him.

<--<< >>-->

In the clearing, Aelron of Heresh lay in the clearing. A gentle wind shifted her hair, and ruffled her eyelashes. Her chest began to glow, then the glow expanded, covering her completely in soft light. A moment later, the light faded. White crystal encased Aelron, preserving her body and a small obelix was at her head with some words engraved into it.

A Moment in Time - Preserved for Always. Here lies Aelron of Heresh, beloved of Tellius, Priest of the Order of Pelos. May the Ether have mercy upon this soul. Ic aum reca ai Ether deseuam - May you reach the Ether safely.

<--<< >>-->

Sorry, bit of a filler chapter. Just a little more heartbreak in a day's work. Anyways - you know the drill:

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First Published: 26/11/19

Completed: 26/11/19

[Who here's played Fire Emblem Awakening?]