Summer Garden

Rendi

Rendi clapped his hands over his ears, falling to the ground as Astrian tossed back her head and wailed.

It wasn't a sound he'd heard her emit before.

It was a living sound, one that burrowed into you, shaking the fibres of your being until you felt the terror and anguish that she felt. It was the sound of death. The wail of a banshee. It was a pain in the soul, made tangible.

He stretched out a hand hesitantly for the Faeling, and touched her head. She cut off mid-scream and relief hit him like a dead weight. He nearly collapsed as the Faeling turned to him, eyes wide and tear-stained. There was horror etched into the young child's face.

Rendi frowned, "What is it, Astrian? What did you feel?"

The Faeling leapt on him, knocking him onto his back. He felt her hands grab the sides of his head, and then it was his turn to scream as a flood of images, thoughts and ideas poured over him.

Rendi found himself leaning against a cave floor, gasping for air. Blood seemed to pour from his mouth. He was drowning. Drowning in his own blood. He looked around in terror, and found a spear piercing through his back and into the ground. He looked up at the elf holding the spear, a cold-hearted beauty, and gasped, trying to get her attention.

The elf turned to him, and he found themselves standing in Summer's garden. The elf was drenched in sweat, breathing heavily, and waved a hand, "Come to do better, assassin?"

Rendi frowned, touching his uninjured chest in confusion, "What do you mean?"

"Tragedy is one of the lasting themes of the history of Elfkind. We are accustomed to pain, and loss. I have buried three husbands, and ten grandchildren, mortal."

He turned, expecting to see the mortal, instead he felt a flash of blinding pain, and felt as if he were falling out of the sky. He hit the ground groaning, and looked over, seeing the shrapnel that had once been his wing in surprise.

"Well, then. It's done."

He rolled over, finding himself on the cave floor again, watching the mage stand up slowly. Vastras. She was coated in blood, her dress stained and her arms dripping up to their elbows. The mage turned and smiled tightly, "Don't follow me, elf. Once I leave, I will consider your debt forgiven."

Rendi looked to the side, and saw the same elf. She seemed different now. Less cold. Her eyes... She was crying, quietly.

What was done? What was this?

Rendi coughed, spraying blood. The spear piercing his chest and into the ground was solid. It was the only thing holding him upright in his current condition. Forcing him to watch as Summer bled to death, her still beating heart held in Vastras' hand. Watch as the light slowly faded from eyes. Watch as the dust on her skin crystallised, shattered and faded away. Watch as the wings on her back dried up, shrivelled up and faded like cobwebs in the breeze.