News of the attempted assassination traveled through the isles like lightning. Last night, as I slept in the hayloft above, I heard Father and Mother whispering about it. I know that war is coming. The Obsidian Sovereign claims that all is still under control and that farmers and other low-class workers

"shouldn’t concern themselves with matters of the upper courts,"

and that they,

"should focus on stockpiling their resources"

for the upcoming tax walk around each island. The village elders know better than to trust the words of the Sovereign, who just twenty years ago experimented on the very people it claimed to protect. I trust their judgment and have been secretly practicing my wild magic while I’m supposed to be fixing the far fences. Mother hasn’t noticed yet, and when she asks why, I’ll blame it on Kaelen’s sloppy craftsmanship. He won’t mind the excuse to be shoved back into the kitchen—anything to get him back to working on his grand recipes.

I release the thoughts of unrest and focus on my breathing. Sleep is important, who knows how much I will get when the ball finally drops.

******

Birds sang joyously in the late morning sun, weaving through the air as they gathered materials for their nests-to-be. Twigs, leaves, and bits of fur dangled from their beaks, carefully placed and shaped with meticulous care.

Amidst the cheerful birdsong, I stood patiently with my hand raised, offering a tuft of griffin fur to the winged creatures above. A soft smile graced my face as sparrows and doves swooped down to claim the soft strands, their delicate movements a dance in the spring breeze. Spring had always been my favorite season, when the birds returned to fill the air with their melodious songs, accompanied by the twin suns that blessed the isle with longer, sunlit days.

Shaking my hand to rid it of excess griffin fur, I turned to face the sprawling pasture ahead. I had finished fathers list of chores for the morning and knew I could slip away once my parents went to tend to other matters in town.

“Thalion, my love! Where is my satchel?”

My mother Elowen called out while closing the gap between herself and my father. Her long green robe danced lightly across the wild grass, only getting caught for a second before being pulled along with my mother. Her silver white hair, once a deep brown like my own, was tied back into two braids that married behind her head, two strands peeking out from behind her elven ears. I could only hope to be as beautiful as her, but at 27 I feared my adult looks had come to stay.

My father, Thalion, stopped his work and turned to my mother, his hard eyes softening only for her.

“The last time I saw it you had it in the carriage. Check there, my bird.” He turned to me and gave a head nod.

“Lyra, you can finish this up. I am going to go help your mother and then we have to go. I believe you can keep this place running just fine while we are at the gathering.”

I nodded and gave a sly smile,

“I’ve got this, you two go, enjoy the bureaucracy.”

The monthly village gathering was mostly just the elderly complaining about children playing too hard near their gardens, or why we all need to raise our taxes to get the mages to cast a stronger protective spell around the isle. Neither were worth my time or energy, but a great excuse to get myself into the forest and to practice my shape shifting. Hopefully, Father couldn’t read my subdued excitement in my voice. I try my best to be honest with him, but this was just for me. Well, me and Zephyra, maybe Kaelen if he had more of his dried meat.

Luckily, it seemed that my father was distracted by the news I had overheard last night. The villages on each isle would face the wrath of the Obsidian Sovereign, the Queens of the realm seemed powerless to do anything against the faction, and the people have been worked and taxed to the bone that any thought of revolution or revolt was met with tired sighs or secret police raids. The plan now was to survive. It had been the plan since I was born.

******

“You two have fun! Don’t stay out too late!” I yelled out at the carriage. My father raised a hand, gave a half wave as they rounded the bend and vanished into the forest. I looked both ways and then made my way to the back gardens. There hunched over a patch of struggling faeberries and summer squash was a human with curly brown hair and dirty chef whites.

“Kaelen, get your head out of the dirt and go wash your whites. You’re starting to blend into the herbs.”

I slapped him on the back, a cloud of soil coming off him, as he gave an audible gasp and then looked up, displeased by the now reddened mark on his back most likely forming .

“You made me lose count. If these berries get eaten by pests, it’s your fault if your father doesn’t get his favorite autumn pie.”

Kaelen was my oldest and dearest friend, but that was mostly because of circumstance. When he was younger he was part of a traveling circus, but eventually found his way into the stockrooms of my parents compound. Caught with his mouth around an apple and arms full of dried goods he was taken in by our family and taught how to be a chef instead of a thief. The circus never came looking for him, so he must have been a poor clown, and was now a mediocre chef because of a few twists of fate.

He was a year younger than me, so for the first part of our lives we schooled, trained, and cleaned the compound together. Eventually he was put into an apprenticeship in the kitchen, but we remained close.

“I am going into the forest, I need you to come with me with Ember and watch my back while I practice my shape shifting.”

He gave me a disappointed look.

“You know this magik practice is going to be found out eventually. You can’t even use it right. What if we get caught? We almost got caught last time. I do not like hiding in the trees, Lyra. Heights are a big fear of mine and I won’t climb them again for your sake!”

His words were pointed as I remembered him climbing the thorn trees because of a wandering doe that startled us. I shrugged, I could go by myself if I needed to. He got up, dusted off his apron, and gave a heavy sigh.

“Fine, give me five minutes. I’ll meet you and Zephyra then by the back fence with Ember. Let me go give myself an excuse to go into the forest. I’ll tell the chef that I am gathering chanterelles for dinner. That should buy us at least three hours.”

******

The stables were my home. When given the chance, I would sleep in the hayloft, I often did. Mother would try to get me to stop when I was younger but once I hit my twenties she had accepted that she had raised a feral half-elf, and that I had taken after my fathers wild ways. She even taught me how to build my own studio there, and that soon became my room. The stables smelled of old wood, saw dust, and hay. I could feel it warm my senses as I slid open the door.

“Hey baby girl,” I cooed as I looked into the third stall. My beautiful griffin, Zephyra, looked up from her preening. I had had her since she was hatched in my bedroom when I was six. Golden feathers covered her upper half and grand wings rested on her torso, a face of a golden eagle looking at me with yellow eyes. The lower part was of a mountain lion, golden and flecked with darker hues. I reached out my hand and scratched under her chin as she gave a few purrs of approval.

“Come with me, you’re going to keep me safe in the forest. More than Kaelen can anyways.”

I opened the stall and slipped a lead over her face. We made our way to the back fence and could see Kaelen and his mount Ember, a manticore of small stature with leathery wings.

“Let’s go before we lose daylight.” The both of us slid onto the backs of our mounts and slipped over the back fence into the dark forest beyond.

How did I get pulled into this again, all I wanted to do today was work in the garden and perfect my roast recipe, but no. I had to be susceptible to peer pressure and end up in the spooky side of the forest yet again because of Lyra. It was too late now, we were well on our way to the training hollow that she had found a few months back.

I ran my hand through the mane of Ember as we followed behind. The dappled sunlight made the forest look far more inviting than the stories he had heard from the other servants. The stories of the missing souls who tried to conquer this forest haunted my dreams, and consumed my thoughts each time we went in. Lyra had no such fear, I blame her father. She was raised to hit first and ask questions later, while I tended to ask only questions and had only been in one fight, with Lyra, and I lost. My confidence in my ability to actually help her out here was low, but at least she asked for me to join, even if I was afraid. Kicking Ember lightly in the sides, I caught up alongside Lyra.

“So what exactly are you practicing? Why can’t you have your mother help you? Wasn’t she some great wild magik mage back in the day?”

Lyra kept her eyes forward, but a look of slight annoyance crossed her face.

“An ex-wild mage, yes.” Her brow furrowed “She refuses to teach me because I show no natural ability.”

Blunt and straight to the point. Very much Lyra. I only get half the info most of the time. Sometimes talking to her to get more was like trying to put together a puzzle. I tried to piece her reasons for hiding together but seemed to be missing pieces.

“But why?”

She didn’t answer.

“We’re here” She said as they stopped in a clearing with one large oak in the middle.

I hopped off Ember and gave her a nuzzle, “Go ahead and go hunt girl. Get yourself a rabbit.” I slipped her lead off and watched as my manticore slipped into the woods.

“Ok, we’re here now. I’ll just look for chanterelles while you practice.”

Lyra nodded back at me, I am pretty sure she didn’t even need me here. Whatever. I moved myself into the shaded areas by the oak and settled in to watch my best friend attempt to shape shift.

******

Two hours have passed, I have collected all of the mushrooms I could find, one pound heading home with us, and still no shape shifting. I am not exactly convinced that Lyra even has magik. Sometimes it skips a generation, or maybe since her parents never worked on it when she was young, now in her adult years she won’t be able to access it. Whatever the cause, we needed to get going or the head chef would have my head on a spit.

“Hey, how much longer?”

I called from my spot nestled between our mounts.

“I have to get these mushrooms back or they won’t be good.”

She threw up her hand and gave a one second gesture as some glyphs were scratched into the dirt at her feet. For a second blue light emerged from the glyphs and rose, then sputtered and died again.

“AHHHHHHH! GODS DAMN IT!”

Lyra yelled, kicking the dirt glyphs up.

I shrunk back and tightened my lips, praying to Typhor in my head. I knew better than to bother her when she was like this.

“One more time!” She yelled, “Just one more try then we can go back. I got it this time!”

”What are you trying to shift to?”

“A cockatrice! Easy enough, I think.” She replied.

She went back to drawing the glyphs, this time more slowly. As she finished writing the last one the blue lights rose once again, but no sputtering came. Instead they burst into green flames dancing all around Lyra. I jumped up and yelled,

“Lyra! Are you ok?”

I started running towards the middle of the clearing and there, in her space, was a large cockatrice.

“Lyra?”

I asked, taking one step back.

The cockatrice looked at me and then let out a loud squawk, almost like laughter. It was her! She had done it, but now how was she going to turn back?

“Great you did it, you have successfully disobeyed your parents wishes and turned yourself into a lizard chicken. Good job.”

Lyra turned her rooster head and gave me a look and started to walk around the clearing, obviously pleased with herself.

“I will give you twenty minutes to finish up with this, then we have to go back.”

Lyra didn’t respond, instead her eyes were locked on the back of the meadow. The noises of the forest suddenly went quiet. I felt a chill run up my spine, as the deafening silence fell upon my ears. The hairs on my nape raised as I turned slowly to look at what Lyra was transfixed on, and saw our death coming right at us.

******

A chimera of metallic fur and flesh stood before us, its eyes fixed on myself and Lyra. Suddenly, I was flying back towards the trees, my belly stinging from the barbs on Lyra’s tail hitting me as she ran up and pushed me away towards the trees. Climbing up the thorny limbs, yet again, I clung to the trees for safety as I watched in horror at the scene playing out in front of me.

Lyra was now joined by Ember and Zephyra. Their teeth and claws ready for the attack to come. Time stood still as the metallic chimera stared down its challengers, a ticking coming from its interior as it slowly turned its necks back and forth. What animals was this abomination made from? I could see panther aspects beneath the metal, but the flesh was pale and hard to see beneath the metallic plating welded to its hide.

Zephyra moved first. The griffin leapt up into the air and took a swift dive at the creature, scratching its back with her talons and creating a deafening screech as it turned to slap her with its claws. Dodging it with grace this was the sign for the other two to attack. In unison cockatrice Lyra, and my dear Ember were closing in. Ember swung her tail, getting the poison barb in between the seams of its plating. The beast screamed out and turned, not paying attention to Lyra.

Lyra clumsily leapt onto the back of the chimera, barely holding on with the three claws of the beast shape she took. What an idiot! Is this how she wanted to die? I cried out but I was too far and the overgrowth muffled them from any ears that could hear me. All I could do was pray to Tyraphor and hope the god of Earth would heed my mortal pleas.

Lyra swung her head back and bit down on the beast’s neck. It began bucking, trying to get her off its back, she bit down harder and a crack hit my ears as the beast went limp. Lyra stood above it, her mouth covered in what seemed to be a dark liquid mixture of blood and oil. I jumped from the branches, rolling across its roots. Stumbling up I ran towards Lyra, a strange ticking now filling the clearing. I stopped in my tracks as I was tackled to the ground by Ember and covered by her thick leathery wings as heat and fire exploded from the beast's corpse.

“What the hell was that thing!”

I yelled out at Lyra, who had now shifted back to her human form, spines still poking through her flesh as her breathing steadied and they retracted back into her. Ick. How could she ever do that to herself. That didn’t matter right now, as I ran up to her and she pushed my helping hands away. Too proud to accept help after a skirmish. Just like her father.

“Are you ok, Lyra? How did you know how to kill that thing?”

She ran her fingers through her brown wavy hair, tucking it behind an olive toned pointed ear. I have never seen her so shook, not even after fighting off my bullies as a teenager. I knew she was doing what she did best, pushing down the fear.

“I don’t know Kaelen. I don’t know. I just bit where I thought it would hurt. I have no idea how I even held that form for so long. It drained me.” She leaned on her griffin and didn’t look at me.

“It’s best we keep this between us.”

“What do you mean? We have to tell your parents. We can’t just let whatever made that thing come to us! We have to tell the others!”

I protested and tried to grab her by the shoulder, only to be pushed off as she went to investigate the now glowing crater the chimera left behind. She jumped into the depths, staggering slightly as she did so, slightly falling into the hole.

“LYRA” Running to the edge of the crater I looked down into its shallow depths.

She shushed me and gave me a serious look before dropping her Forest green eyes to the ground before her. I leaned over and looked down at her. In the ground were some freshly carved out glyphs with a charcoal glow.

“Do you recognize these Kaelen?” She asked, looking over her shoulder to me and making a gesture to come look.

Reluctantly, I jumped in with her and looked closely at the writing. Old memories shook loose and I gasped.

I was a little boy, walking alongside my ringmaster. The circus was moving to the next isle, and the lands around us stank of sulfur and death. I gazed out and asked what happened, the ringmaster raised his hand and pointed at a corpse, pinned to a dead and still smoldering oak. Carved into the belly were charcoal colored glyphs.

I had seen these before.

“This is bad news, Lyra. We need to go home now.”

Two weeks have passed since, but I couldn’t shake that unsettling feeling of being watched. When had it begun… was it the woods? The moment the glyph magik merged with me, I felt instantly like I was a deer in the sights of a hunter, the taste of rust and blood still lingered in my mouth, no amount of brushing or mead could get it out. No amount of sleep could shake the nightmares, and Kaelen was being bizarre and distant from me. Very unlike his usual food focused self.

After he rushed us both back home and somehow single handedly put away a spooked griffin and manticore, I still have no idea how he did that, he put me to bed with herbs and crackers and refused to talk.

I couldn’t figure out why the color had drained from his face when he saw those glyphs, and why he wouldn’t tell me what they read. Obviously, I would have to take matters into my own hands if he continued to act this way—Later on though, because mother has not stopped bothering me about getting dressed up for the arrival of my cousin later this evening.

I brushed my untamed hair into a braid, and washed the griffin spit and grime off my face. I had never met this cousin, but expected her to be prissy. All I have been told about why she was here is that she is on a trip to go to Sky Haven for the Celestial Cathedral, and is a high ranking priestess. I rolled my eyes.

Celestial mumbo jumbo. Pfft. Nothing but a bunch of manticore shit.

It was the church that promised that the rule of the obsidian sovereign would be squashed by the celestials, but so far the greater beings have done no acts to stop the push of the sovereign. All prayers seem to fall on the emptiness of space, and the uncaring hearts of cosmic beings.

I pulled my favorite tunic of leaves and vines over my head, and completed the outfit with the newest, and cleanest, trousers I could find. Mother might say I look

“Unlady like” and “Manish.”

But she knows deep down that I am far more comfortable in these clothes. I turn and head for the door of my studio, grabbing my moss cloak on the way out. My studio is nestled above the stables, but I still prefer sleeping in the hayloft adjacent, falling asleep to the sounds of Zephyra and other beasts below.

The stairs that lead up to my studio are covered in mud and dirt, my mind always pleased by how they look. First thing I ever crafted with my mother. She taught me how to shape the wood and everything, and now fifteen years later I get to use them to carry me home. I stop and gaze around the stable a bit more before heading to Zephyra’s stall and leaning in with some fruit and a dead lizard. Zephyra looks up at me and happily saunters over to gobble up her treats. I scratch her under her neck feathers and talk softly,

“Hey girl, who's my sweet kitty-birdy baby?”

The griffin purrs and leans in closer, its front talons kneading the ground.

“I’ll be back, I got to go meet some fancy relative and her friend, once I am back we can go hunt some rabbits, I promise.”

I could see the acknowledgement in her golden eyes as she clicked her beak a few times. I pet her, then started making my way towards the house, which seemed to be bursting to life as two people and their beast arrived at the front gate.

******

I arrived at the courtyard just in time for mother to grab my arm and pull me in to her and father. I may be an adult, but I still have a family image to uphold, even to those related to us. I gave her a weak smile and turned to face our guests.

Coming through the gates came two figures. One draped in a tunic of soft, golden fabric, shimmering with light like the dual suns above. A light red and gold cloak rested on her shoulders, catching the wind and drifting behind her like a ray of light engulfing her being. Auburn hair fell in curls around her half-elf ears, and warm amber eyes squished closed as she smiled at the waiting family.

That must be cousin Elysia. I shifted my focus to the woman next to her. Chestnut-brown hair went down to her hips, her dark complexion held a strong angry gaze filled with eyes so blue that I felt my heart skipping a beat. She was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen, my gaze lasted a little too long and I met her eyes, getting a well deserved glare right back. Bashfully, I looked down at the ground and tried not to anger our guests by staring any harder.

“Welcome to our home Priestess Elysia, and Elara of Lyranside.” My father said, raising his arms around the both of them and pulling them into a warm embrace. My cousin hugged back, her companion stood awkwardly letting it happen as the two spoke.

“Oh uncle, it is so very nice to see you! I have not been here since I was a child and it has not changed one bit!”

He let go and smiled down at his niece. I could see the family resemblance, she shared her human side of the family with us. My father and her mother are the bridge to that part of us, but she was mixed with High Elf blood, unlike my own wood elf flowing through me. Alike, but still so different.

“Nothing but me, I ain’t half the man I used to be.” Father stated, half joking, half sad truth. I pushed the sadness that statement brought up, I would lose him far quicker than I would lose my mother. This thought lingered as I continued focusing on maintaining my half smile on my face.

“Lyra! I have not seen you since we were both so young! Remember how much fun we used to have!”

I dropped my smile, “I don’t remember fun, I remember you tricking me into doing things and me taking all the blame when we got in trouble.”

My mother elbowed me in my ribs, my mouth tightly closed shut. Elysia just smiled and let out a small laugh, “Always so sensitive, just the same.”

I rolled my eyes and hunched in as she changed the subject and gestured at her friend behind her.

“Oh yes, how rude of me. This is Elara. She is my body guard assigned to me by the Cathedral for my journey.”

“It is so lovely to have you in our home, anyone who is a friend of Elysia’s is a friend of ours.” My mother reached out and grasped the warrior's hand, shaking it warmly. Elara responded, her voice slightly deep, but comforting.

“Thank you for having me. It is an honor to be here with the Wild Mage and Everglades Protector.”

Names from the old wars my father and mother fought in so long ago before the fall to the Obsidian Sovereign. It threw me off when people treated my parents like folk heroes, but I had to remember they had lives before I was born. Lives that saved many others.

“Let’s all get inside, the food is getting cold.”

My father ushered us into the house, and the gate was closed tightly behind us.

******

The dinner conversation was as dry as the turkey the chef and their stewards had carved at the table. Talks of Celestial promises, the grand rebirth of light, and all other sorts of griffin shit that I couldn’t care less about. The magik of the Cathedral was a lie, only used for celestial gains and manipulation of peasants' spirits. A real shame Elysia ended up as a priestess of the dual suns, and now spread these beliefs like plague. I knew my parents were both smart enough not to buy in, but they still entertained this talk at their dinner table. Unbelievable.

“…and that is why we are on our way to Sky Haven. Hopefully, some of the Queen’s scholars can help with the disappearances.”

“What disappearances?” I interrupted, clearly not paying attention to what led up to this point.

Mother gave me a cool look and Elysia turned her amber gaze to me, the candle light making them glow with a subtle golden haze, her auburn hair framing her soft features perfectly.

“The ones that have been happening around the realm. Children have been stolen away and all that is found is deep, heavy, tracks of what seems to be a very heavy beast. There have been reports of a metallic chimera being spotted as well. We have no idea if these are connected, but it is our duty to make it to Sky Haven and get attention put on the rising crisis. They have been treating the Cathedral with less attention ever since the attempted assasination. They say it's our fault that someone was radicalized enough to try to kill the Obsidian Sovereign. ”

I stopped breathing. Could that have been what we faced in the forest? My heart beat started to race as smells of flesh and metal seemed to reignite in my nostrils. Then snapping back to reality I started to cough out my mead.

“Lyra! Oh my goodness!” Mother shouted as she slapped my back. Both the guests pulled back as I coughed into my napkin.

“That…that sounds horrible!”

I managed to choke out, trying to keep my composure.

A suspicious glance came from Elara, her goblet resting in front of her face as she twirled the small amount left in the brass. She then looked back at Elysia, who was dabbing coughed up mead off her nice cloak.

“Yes, awfully. That is why we are asking for help from Sky Haven, even if it falls on uncaring ears, but first we have to make it to Everglade to gain access to the bridge above the shatteredlands. The compound happened to be only a day away from the city by griffinsback. We will have to follow a path into the heart of the old growth. Elara is very familiar with the jungles of her home, so this forest shouldn’t be a problem for a warrior like her.”

Father nodded, “Sounds tiring. I will make sure Kaelen packs plenty of food for you two. I stay out of the affairs of the isles, but can happily offer you a place to rest tonight.”

I could see the relief in my cousin's eyes, she knew it was risky to be traveling as a celestial priestess with only one body guard while the sovereign held rule. The practice of celestial worship was banned to only the Celestial Cathedrals grounds, any worship or talk of it outside of there was punishable by banishment to the shattered lands. The news of the assassin being a Celestial zealot didn’t help them.

How foolish to live for a cause that could kill you.

I cleaned my plate and dinner ended shortly after. After bidding everyone a farewell, I scribbled a note and shuffled into the kitchen.

I stood there for a second and let out a pained sigh, I could feel my veins started to burn. I would deal with that later.

Secretly, I shoved it into Kaelen’s apron pocket and made my way back to the stables.

This place smelled horrible. How can anyone ever willingly give up being a warrior for this kind of life. The choices of Elowen the once powerful Wild Mage and Thalion the Protector of Everglade have left them both fallen from grace, and living amongst beasts and peasants. I am not impressed. Running my fingers across my temples, I repeated the purpose of being here to myself again.

I am here to protect the lady of light. We will be in a hostel that smells of jasmine tomorrow. Just make it through the night.

Looking out the window of my guest room, I gazed at the pastures that rolled into the thick forest beyond. The split moon hung above, only lit partially, the new moon would be here soon.

In the dim light I spotted something, well rather, someone. A small human, maybe one I had seen serving us at dinner? Was making his way towards the stables, chef whites stained from the meal prepared before and arms empty of trash or dry goods that would give him an excuse for going out that far, this late. Something wasn’t right. I turned and faced Elysia,

“I think I am going to step out for a moment, I will return. Do not leave this room.” I said to her, pulling my cloak around my shoulders, and throwing my blade staff across my back.

“Do be careful, we have to leave first thing tomorrow.” Elysia said, not even looking up from her scrolls.

“I’ll be safe, be back in an hour, tops.”

I slipped out the door and started to follow the kitchen steward towards the stables, keeping a few steps behind and muffling my steps the best she could. What was he up to— I don’t know. But I will find out.

******

The door to the stables was left slightly open, so my chance to listen in was made clear. I crouched down and leaned as close as I could, listening to the muffled conversation.

“Why haven’t you talked to me since the forest?” Elara recognized that voice as Lyra, the cousin of her lady, and fumbled her brow.

“I didn’t want to talk about it! I figured if I left it alone you would let it go too!”

“Well, I didn’t and I also felt heavily abandoned by my so-called best friend. Now listen. My cousin knows something about what attacked us in the woods that day, I have no idea if she caught on to me asking her about it, but this is much bigger than us destroying it.”

I gasped and couldn’t stop myself as I pushed my way into the stables, the scared faces of the brown haired human and Lyra looked up.

“What do you know about the creatures?” I demanded grabbing them both by the collars of their shirts, lifting them off the ground slightly.

“Leave Kaelen out of this!” Lyra shouted at me, swinging one of her hands at me. Slamming her back I held them both further apart and demanded once again,

“What do you know, then I will let you both go.”

“We fought a metal beast in the woods and Lyra killed it! But then it exploded—and—and…” Kaelen crumbled and started coughing out of fear.

“Is this true, Lyra? Did you kill one of these beasts?” I asked, looking at the half elf in her deep forest green eyes set in a stubborn glare. She nodded and I let them both down. The pair regained their balance and both stood before me.

“Was that all that happened?” I asked.

“Yes.” Said Lyra, her hands fixing her shirt collar, wincing from what seemed to be pain. I did not grab her that hard, weak.

“Nothing else?” I demanded

“Well, there were the glyphs—” the servant got swiftly elbowed in the ribs.

“What glyphs,” I asked looking at Lyra, knowing she would crumble if enough pressure was placed.

She rolled her eyes then spoke,

“—After it exploded it left charcoal glyphs. I couldn’t read them, but Kealan could. He didn’t tell me what they said.”

I turned my gaze to the human, who was now looking at his feet, “You need to tell me what they said Kaelen.”

He shifted his feet then looked into my soul as he revealed what I feared most,

“They said this” the light from his eyes vanished, “Property of The House of the Unheard.”

What have I done? I spoke of a house that should never be uttered, and now I cannot return the words back into my mouth. This warrior, she seemed as shook by the words as I was when I read them in that crater weeks ago. I knew that this was going to lead to no good, and now I had opened a box of chaos just by uttering a name. Looking up, I see Lyra’s face full of confusion and the warrior guest's face covered in what could only be described as dread.

“Look, I have never dealt with The House of the Unheard before, but I have heard stories, and those stories tell you to stay away from the unnamed houses, especially the Unheard. The only reason I was even sold into the circus when I was a baby was to protect me from The Unheard. At least that is what my ringmaster would tell me whenever I asked. He said they destroyed my mother, and my father, and I was lucky enough to be sold to him instead of being used as food for The Unheards beasts. That is all I know, I haven’t heard that name since I was taken in by Thalion. I swear on Tyraphor!”

The warrior looked me in the eyes and then turned her blue gaze out towards the stable window. She didn’t speak but held her hand to her chin, silently taking in what we had told her.

“You two will have to come with us. No one in Sky Haven will believe me alone if I tell them The House of the Unheard is responsible.”

She turned and faced myself and a surprisingly quiet Lyra.

“What do you mean go with?” I was confused by the notion of ever leaving this place that I worked so hard to keep running.

“I mean, you and Lyra are coming with me. You have to. For the good of the realm.”

“Fuck the realm!” Protested Lyra, “What have the Queen’s done for us except give into the Obsidian Sovereigns rule? Why should I tell them anything.”

“Because if you don’t this isle, and all the others will crumble into darkness, all man, woman, child, and beast will become enslaved and free-will is nonexistent. Poof.”

I felt the color drain from my face, “You mean, no more garden?” I questioned.

“I mean no more anything. Your body, and soul will no longer be yours. Your will is driven only by the whims of The Unheard.”

“Lyra, we have to go.” Turning to my friend I grasped her hands, “I really don’t want to lose my freewill, it’s pretty useful for living my best life.”

I watched as she seemed to comb over what information we had just received, and then she replied.

“Ok, I’ll go. But not as an ambassador of the Celestials. I am going for my isle and Kealan, that is it.” I watched as she winced from pain, weird. I hope she was ok and didn’t get hurt by the warrior.

*****

I couldn't sleep that night. Not even with the strongest brew of chamomile, I still lay awake terrified about telling Lyra’s parents of the ordeal they went through almost a month ago, kept secret, and are now called on a grand adventure to stop what sent it. It sounded crazy. What would a chef even do on a quest? Hide most certainly, while the others fought off whatever monsters found us. I wonder if monsters tasted any good when seared, and then drifted off to sleep, dreaming of well butchered monsters sizzling on the grill.

******

“Get up.” A swift kick to my thigh shook me from my slumber, Lyra stood above me, her moss cloak over her shoulders, and backpack prepared for the journey.

“Have you told your parents yet?” I asked, rubbing the sleep from my eyes and pulling my tunic onto my body.

“No, I need you to join me.”

I glared at her. Typical Lyra, pulling me into things.

“Fine, but you are doing all the talking.”

“Fine.” She says tightening her cloak, her face wincing from pain.

Father and mother were the least of my worries. My body ached with green fire flashing behind my eyes. Every moment I pushed it down, the more it seemed to burn inside of my veins. What had that shapeshifting spell done to me? I should have never tried to shift, mother warned me what happens when halflings attempt to do what full-blooded elves can do. Magik was forbidden for half-breed elves, each one cursed to use their own life force as seed of magik, instead of the planetary energies like the elves. I hated my half breed nature. Hated myself for not being good enough to emerge from my parents' shadows, instead I was doomed to learn from my mistake. I should have listened. Like a child I chose to believe I was different. Pathetic.

Soon my parents will be made aware of my foolish delusions of control, I would have to admit to practicing magik and changing my form, inviting in the curse I thought would never touch me. I winced as another shot of fire went through my veins, then finally pushed the doors open to their house, Kaelen on my heels.

“Lyra, good morning. You look—well like you slept in a hog pen. Are you doing ok dear?” My mother asked as I sat down, her hands shoving tea in front of me and pointing Kaelen to the corner, where the servants were waiting.

“You look beautiful as well mother, I actually need to talk to you,” I looked at father, “Both of you.”

Father cleared his throat, “Go on then. We’re listening.”

Taking a deep breath in and then letting out a deep sigh, I told them the story of the chimera. Their faces go from cheerful to grave within a few words. My mother started to stifle a few tears, and my father looked at me as if I had stabbed his heart. I could feel their emotions fill the room, choking out any other feelings of peace.

“How could you, Lyra. You are so foolish!” My mother hissed, turning her face away from me, tears rolling down her cheeks. Kaelen tried to speak up to defend me, “It showed up out of nowhere! We never thought you two would find out about the magik…”

“Your punishment is yet to come young man.” Father cut him off, coldly, “But you have no idea what our daughter has done to her own soul by shifting. She saved herself from that chimera, but has doomed herself to burning from the inside out.”

”What?” Kaelen protested trying to move from his spot, only to be pointed back by my mother. He dipped his head and spoke once more, “I apologize for speaking out of turn, but what exactly are you talking about?”

Mother broke into sobs, and father looked grim. I winced as the despair filled my mind, “Because I am half elf, I do not have the blood connection to the planet to do actual magik without condemning my soul to burn.”

”And you knew this while I let you go practice with me there? Why did you do this to yourself? Do you have a deathwish? ”

I didn’t want to admit it to him, but yes. I would rather be dead than not practice magik. He was hurt. I was selfish.

“I wanted to be special. I wanted to know what it felt like to be magik. I thought it wouldn’t apply to the daughter of the Wild Mage.” I looked him in his eyes, “I was wrong.”

I turned to face my parents again, “But this is much bigger than my soul. We have to go with Elysia and Elara and get word to Sky Haven, or give up any hope of a normal future, even one without me in it. I made my own choice to practice this magik, but the isle did not choose to have its children vanish. I have to go, I will go! Damn my soul, and if it burns, at least it won’t be for nothing!” Did I really mean these words? Or did I want to just run into the woods and die away from the disappointment in my parents eyes.

Silence filled the room. You could cut the tension with a sword, and each moment seemed more quiet than the next.

Finally, my father answered me.

“Lyra, we have tried to protect you, we have tried to keep the world outside away from us. We have tried so hard. We have failed.” His shoulders dropped, “I hate to let my little girl go off to possibly die, but what choice do we have.”

Mother reached out and grabbed my hands, her eyes filled with tears,

“Were my warnings not enough? The childhood stories and warnings. You knew what this would do. Was my own renouncing my magik ever made clear to you? Lyra you careless…” she trailed off her sobs over taking her once again. I winced as another shot of flame burst through my veins, slightly gasping as I held mothers hand. She cried out,

“Lyra!”

And pulled me into her chest.

“I am okay mom. I will be just fine.” I pushed myself out of her grasp and held her shoulders firmly, “We have to go now if we want to leave with Elysia.”

******

Mother made me wear hand carved glyphs on my neck to slow the fires inside of me, one of each on bones of beasts she defeated long ago. I grasped them mindlessly as Zephyra followed along behind my cousin and her bodyguard. They had left the compound yesterday morning after a weary goodbyes and supplies were given. Now, they trotted along, the forest too thick to fly above without altering the sovereign. Though very dark, the birds still sang, still enthralled in late spring.

Elysia and Elara rode upon another griffin, Lyra had never seen one like this before. Its head was that of a parrot, blue and yellow with wild eyes lined by zebra stripes. Its wings were a rainbow of colors, but mostly blues, greens, and yellows, the span smaller than Zephyra’s, but larger than the manticore that Kaelen rode. Its hind legs were that of a jaguar, spotted wildly and easily blending into the undergrowth they passed over. I had heard of tropical griffins, but figured she was too far north for them to ever be seen. I had to know one thing.

“Elara, your griffin.” I asked.

“Aurelia.” She yelled cooly back at me. I held my tongue for a second then started again.

“Elara, your griffin, Aurelia, what type is she exactly? I have never seen one like her before.”

“She is from the islands of The Azure Waters. I was given her as a hatchling when I was young. My people don’t let outsiders take our griffins, so that is why you haven’t seen one like her before, and probably will never see one again.” She flipped her long chestnut hair over her shoulder, “Unless you make it to the Azure Waters, but that takes going down the sides of the floating isles and going to the lower lands above the shattered earth below.”

I stopped talking. That was very far away. She had traveled that far? Just to be a bodyguard? Elara must have more to her, but Lyra had lost interest in prodding and slowed her griffin down to match the pace of Kaelen and Ember.

“She’s weird right, it's not just me?” I asked him quietly.

“Yeah, she’s weird. But not like you are weird.” I shoved my elbow into his ribs. Fucker.

******

We set up camp in the dark. The two weeks of the new moon were upon us and we would have to settle for only traveling during the day. Elysia blessed our spaces, and Kaelen made a stew for all four of us, the mounts allowed to go hunt for their meals as we sat. Elara emerged from her tent and then the chorus of crickets and frogs was silenced when Kaelen exclaimed,

”WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR LEGS?”

Pointing terrified at Elara’s lower half, now uncovered, exposing two white spotted goat legs. Elara snorted and swiftly covered her legs, “I am a satyr, thank you. I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t point at my body, creep.” Swiftly she pulled a warp off her bed roll, and pulled it around her waist.

Kaelen dropped his hand and covered his mouth, muffling an apology. We had both been raised very protected from the outside world. It didn’t surprise me that he acted this way seeing a different race than elves or humans for the first time. It was mostly my parents fault for only letting him learn about cooking and gardening.

I spied a look at her backside, a small tail wagging beneath the skirts she had wrapped over herself. Cute. I thought as I brought my gaze back to the fire.

******

Night terrors kept me from sleeping. Green fires burnt down the forests around me, but as I looked to escape all I could see was the fire, slowly realizing I was the flames eating up the lands that I loved.

Shooting up, I wake in a cold sweat next to Zephyra, her large golden wing resting across me. The fire is dead as I look out at the distant cosmos above me, I wince at the fire in my veins and focus on the only dark spot in the sky, the two halves of the split moon above. How small it made me feel, as I watched the sky slip by as the first sun started to rise, soon to be followed by the second.

I should make coffee.

I gathered the material needed and started up the campfire once again. Grinding up the beans with a rock I scrape them into a pot and wait for the water to boil. The smell seems to wake up Kaelen, who wanders over slowly to sit by me. The coffee comes to a boil, we let it do so for a short while before Kaelen pulls out a filter to help clear the grounds. The warm pleasant aroma fills the camp and the others join us as we both fill our mugs and add cream and some lilac sugar cubes.

At least I have coffee before I combust.

I think as I take my second cup. The caffeine already makes me feel more aware though my lack of rest.

“Where exactly are we going, Elysia?” I ask looking at my cousin, her auburn hair pulled up into an intricate braided bun atop her head. I wait as she blows on her coffee, takes a sip then replies.

“We have to make it to Everglade, but it seems our map isn’t as accurate as the scholars back at the Celestial Cathedral told me.”

“Oh, so we’re lost.” I said coldly.

“No, we know we are headed east towards the edge of the isle. All we have to do is make it to Everglade.” She retorted then sipped her coffee once again.

******

Soon, after our drinks were done, cups cleaned, and camp all packed we were off to the east. The dual sunlight beat down upon us as we worked our way deeper into the thickening forest. This growth must have been older than the isle, each tree’s roots seemed to grow into the others. Twisting and pulling each other into a knot of Wood and dirt. I doubt many have traveled this deep, not any from the compound at least.

How brave we are.

I looked over at Kaelen stuffing a few bread rolls in his pockets.

Not brave, foolish, more like.

I looked back at the ancient canopy, controlling the access to the suns above. What a glorious testament to the planet. Even though it had been broken apart, trees like these somehow still thrived. We all traveled through, silent, listening to the sound of strange birds, and beasts mingled with the thoughts in our heads.

******

”Let me look at the map Elysia” I demanded, leaning over to Aurelia’s double saddle to grab at the parchment. She leaned away from me and slapped a hot hand onto me.

“Bzzzshh.” She hissed as I pulled away, “No. Trust Elara and I. We know where we are going.”

“No you don’t, admit it. We are lost. You said it would take a day and we are nearing the end of the third, our food is running low. Let me see the map!”

Our fight is cut short as a deafening scream silences the noises around us. I whip my head to look behind me at the now pale white Kaelen, practically shitting Ember’s saddle. I raised my finger to my lips, and we all listened. Elysia clung to Elara as the mounts seemed to prickle with anticipation of what was in the now darkening forest around them.

“What the fuck was that?” Whispered Kaelen.

“Shhhht” I hissed. We fell quiet once again and the scream did not return.

“Well, whatever it was, it seems to have moved on,” Elara dismounted from Aurelia, swiftly pulling the camp supplies off, “It’s best we build a fire while we still can gather wood to burn. Build it big to keep whatever that was far away, most beasts will avoid making contact.” She was right. I followed her lead and started to gather wood around us and pile it near.

******

“You lay stones below the earth so you don’t catch the roots on fire,” Elara explained, covering them in dirt and laying stones around the perimeter.

“Here, wood.” I dropped an armful of kindling and tinder at their feet, “That should at least get it started.” Elara thanked me and got to work putting a spark to the twigs and brush.

Soon enough a large fire was born, providing a dome of light to protect from the darkness around them. It flickered and danced as they fed it log after log, none of them seeming up for chatter. Kaelen prepared some bacon and gave us all a roll from his pockets, we ate linty sandwiches in silence as we listened.

Snap.

I saw Zephyra’s ear tufts perk, and turned to face the forest.

“Did you hear that?” I asked when all of the sudden the largest wood elf I had even seen came sauntering into our camp, as myself and the rest of the party starting to scream loudly. He raised his hands and spoke over our cries for help.

“Hey hey hey! Don’t worry guys, I’m here for peace!” I was braced with my hoopsword, and I saw that Elara was also at attention, staffblade braced and ready, with Elysia behind her, hands locked in prayer to the sun celestials.

“Alright old man, who are you?” Elara demanded, her weapon pointed at the elf’s chest, his hands now above his head.

“I am a friend, I promise. Put the weapon’s down.” He pushed the blade down from his chest and pointed at the fire. “I saw the light and wandered towards it. I mean no harm, I hope you all are in the same boat, or I will have to get you out of my forest.”

“Your forest?” Kaelen spoke up from behind me, instantly shrinking when the stranger met his gaze.

“Yes, my forest. You are trespassing, I would appreciate it if you would leave. This old growth is the heart of the island's forest, and any kind of outsider interaction will screw up the web of life here.”

He spoke so calmly for someone who had found four adults, and three beasts on his land. I, however, found my voice breaking as I spoke,

“Well—sir. We would be long gone, but someone,” quickly I shot a glance at my still praying cousin, “got us lost for two days longer than we expected. If you could just point us in the right direction we will be out of your land in no time.”

The stranger moved slightly closer to the fire, his true large stature made more clear by the light. Roughly fifteen or sixteen hands high, the elf looked as old as some of the trees woven into the canopy. His skin was rough, dark, and adorned with tattoos of glyphs, none I could recognize, and vines, interwoven together across all of his exposed skin up to his neck.

“You are welcome to sleep here for the night,” he swung around away from the fire, “but be aware that the centipedes come out in buckets right before first dawn.”

Kaelen whimpered behind me. I also had a shiver run down my back as I imagined waking up to hundreds of centipedes crawling on my face.

He turned around to face the party one last time.

“Or—come stay at my camp. I have more than enough room for lost travelers for at least the night.” Facing away from our fire again he started to walk off into the darkness.

“Hey wait!” Elara yelled, “Yes, we will go with you.”

“What?” Protested the rest of us. Elara put up a finger to put a stop to it.

“We are better off at least trying to find higher ground to sleep on, and he seems harmless. I am taking myself and Priestess Elysia with him. You two can do as you please, but I would prefer if you came along instead of making me forcefully take you.”

I gulped. I was strong, but not ready to take on a trained warrior from the Azure Waters. I bent down and started gathering my things.

Kaelen looked at me, “Lyra, you can’t be serious.”

“It’s the only choice we have. We go.”

I am in over my head. When joining the Celestial Cathedral I thought life would be more chanting, incense, and ceremonial garb made from spun gold and stardust. But, no. I am here. At a strange elf’s, tree house? My ruby slippers were not made for this kind of environment.

“Elara!” I tugged on the cloak of my sweet bodyguard, “Elara, when are we going to be back where we can bathe?” I could smell myself, and most definitely smell the dirty chef man that my cousin had to bring along.

“I am not sure, but I am sure this elf will have some information. I will ask him.” Elara was the only one who could make me feel this calm in the middle of a bug infested, overgrown forest. I followed her and found the elf sitting on a bench weaved of living willows, and a fire pit that would put even the grandest of masons to shame. He was joined by Lyra and her grime covered friend.

“Welcome, we were just chatting about what type of soup I am making. It seems Kaelen has a deep interest in wild herbs and tubers!” The elf let out a laugh and slapped my cousin on the back, making her almost drop her mug full of what seemed to be wine.

“Is that wine?” I asked.

The dirty one, Kaelen I believe, handed over a bottle and gave me a warm smile.

“Yeah! Thalas made it from fruit trees in the food forest around his house. It’s amazing how well the permaculture is doing here. I could only dream of getting the compound’s garden to this level of output.”

“Thalas?” Elara asked before I could.

“Yes, that is my name.” The elf said, “Thalas. Nice to meet you…”

“Elara,” I interjected, “I mean, she is Elara, and I am Elysia. The pleasure is all ours.” I curtsied and Elara joined in a deep bow. No such gestures were given by Thalas. I was realizing that proper manners were apparently dead in most parts of the realm, especially in the heart of it.

“Come sit, drink with us.” He demanded slapping the other bench by the hearth. We sipped wine, and talked of tales of our homes to him and the night wound down. Thalas stood up and gave a big stretch before announcing,

“Feel welcome to use the hot springs before sleep. I have a thermal pipe running water up to a large tub on the west side of the house. Just climb the ladder. Goodnight, I will point you in the correct direction tomorrow after we share bread.”

I reveled in the thought of soaking my bones in the springs, and waved happily as the elf walked off.

“Elara, that sounds wonderful. Go with me!” I gave her a pleading look, I knew exactly how to manipulate her into it, but in this case I didn’t have to work too hard.

“Yeah, that sounds wonderful.” Elara smiled down at me then turned to my cousin and Kaelen. “You two are more than welcome to join, in fact I insist that you do. We are all smelling ripe.”

Ugh, why….

“Yeah sure!” I smiled at them, “The more the merrier!”

******

A golden robe with red accents rested over me. My long auburn hair is loose, and resting at my hips. The dual suns bless me with my beauty and grace, I am so blessed, I bless all those around me by merely being, and the dual suns burn through me.

Slipping on my slippers, Elara and I make our way to the west side of the houses, coming upon a gnarled and twisted trunk of an ancient oak. Up its trunk were what looked like hand holds, worn into the trunk of the tree, as if shaped when it was a sapling. We followed the holds up into a house built into the trees' grand branches. I had never seen such beauty made from natural materials beyond the beauty of the Cathedral, but this was something I had never seen before.

The building was made of polished lumber, and amethyst. Bioluminescent mushrooms lit the pathway to a tub big enough to fit five griffins, swirling with steaming, glowing waters.

“Woah, this is really really beautiful.” I was snapped out of my daze by the Kaelens voice and turned to find him, shirtless, slightly chubby, and grinning from ear to ear as he took in the bathhouse.

Scooting as quickly as I could away from the dirt chef, I found a place to shed my clothes, feeling the cool night air on my bare skin.

“You better not be looking at us, Kaelen. I do not give you permission to stare at us.” I hear Elara setting boundaries, that’s my girl. Best body guard the Cathedral could pay for.

“I’m not. Ew.” He said turning away.

“Where’s Lyra? I figured she would want to bathe.” Grimey woman, so unlike my Aunt. More like the beasts she slept above.

“She told me that she wanted to go later on. So it’s just little ole me!” He kept facing away as I made my way into the tub.

The waters were soothing, I could feel the forest's grime washing off and let out a happy sigh. Elara joined in and we moved to the edge of the tub.

“Alright, you can come in now.”

The chef joined us and we all discussed the best jams and jellies to use in tea cakes.

Thalas. Thalas. Where have I heard that name before?

I ran my fingers over the soft curve of Zephyra’s beak as I contemplated. I had been told so many stories of the world of the past by my mother that I knew that his name, his demeanor, it was something I recognized. The laughs of the party in the baths above shook me from my contemplation. Kaelen was disappointed that I did not want to join, but I have no doubt I would only bring down the mood. Fire shot through my veins, this time bringing me to the ground as I braced through the pain. I could feel it getting closer to my solar plexus. I would not make it to Everglade, not with the curse’s grasp almost around my soul.

Zephrya preened me with her beak, worriedly trying to get me up from the dirt. I grasped her head and made it to my knees, hot tears running down my cheeks.

I was weak.

“Nasty curse you got there.”

I swung around, only standing on my knees, fists braced. Sitting just beyond me was Thalas, waddling a piece of wood casually.

“How long have you been there?”

“Long enough to see the curse of the half born on you.”

I winced at the fire burning once again inside of me, but didn’t want to show this man I was in a moment of weakness, possibly my last.

“If you keep hiding it, it will just burn you up faster.” He stated, cutting off a thin strip from the wood, “I should know, it’s how I found myself here in the first place.”

I looked at him confused, the fire rose once again and I couldn’t fight it much longer. The world fell black.

******

I came to and Thalas was over me, holding my head off the ground.

“It’s pretty far gone, if you don’t do something about this you’ll be dead soon.” His emerald gaze met mine, “I can fix this, but you have to trust me.”

Trust? Him? I had just met this wild elf and he expected me to trust that he could remove a mixed bloodline curse?

“Since when do elves give a shit about mixed bloods like me?” I asked, bracing against the next roll of fire through my veins, my core starting to flex and writhe as the fire started to lay claim and burn parts of me away. I could smell burning hair as mine started to glow with the green cinders of my aura.

“Do you trust me to help you or not?” He demanded.

“Fine. Do it.”

The world went blank again, and my sight was consumed by green fire.

******

Thick, wet, air clung to my naked form. Green and blue fires traced wherever my limbs passed, and the empty cosmos pulled me in.

Empty until suddenly, a large orange spark, an explosion of the stars around me. I hid my face, then lifted it to find myself resting in the palms of a deity. I shielded my eyes from the golden light emitting from behind their form. Dumping me into one palm, they lifted the other hands and started to draw glowing yellow and blue glyphs that seemed to spread out infinitely beyond us, and all the way deep into my flesh, consuming my spirit. The green flames inside of me doused, and replaced with copies of the glyphs being carved into the wheel of time. The pain was somehow worse than burning from the inside out. I could feel little knives carving into my skin, branding me. My soul had been saved, but now I had been chained to this being I couldn’t comprehend.

I got the strength to finally ask,

“Why me?”

The being smiled, its multiple faces shifting between races and beasts, then reached out a hand and touched my forehead.

“Wake new champion of Elyndor.”

******

My head felt like a war hammer had been slammed down on it, it hurt to open my eyes.

What happened? I lifted my hand to my face, feeling the rough skin that now covered not only my hand, but what seemed to be my whole body. I snapped up in the bed I was in, frantically searching over my skin. They were everywhere!

“What did you do to me? What have you done to my body?” I screamed, not able to find tears in my eyes, I sobbed dryly and uncontrollably until I felt someone’s hands around my shoulders. Kaelen was holding some chocolate in his now clean hand, and held it to me. I grabbed it and ate, my eyes now settling on Thalas in the corner.

“Lyra, it was all I could do to save your soul from shattering.” His emerald gaze moved from me to my companion, “He helped me hold you down as I made a deal with my father for your soul.”

“What do you mean your father? Who was that diety? What did you bargain with? My skin?” I spat, pulling the covers over my chest, my skin raw from the carving.

“You are held together by glyphs, my father has already had his many eyes on you and your griffin. He was happy to make you his new champion in exchange for the welding of your soul and skin.” He sat at the foot of my bed, his weight making it shift slightly up. “My father is Elyndor, deity of beasts and their masters.”

“A Demi-god, my Typhor that is… a Demi-god?” I couldn’t believe what I heard, how could we have stumbled into the heart of a Demi-gods forest so easily. Did the gods have something to do with us being lost? Typhor what is going on!

“I need some tea, this is all so confusing.” I could feel my adrenaline from finding him and on fire, and nude Lyra silently screaming in his arms. I almost stabbed the guy, thankfully he called me over to help and explained before I could find the right weapon. Lyra was awake now, pieced together by what seemed to be celestial magik, and we were in the presence of a Demi-god. I felt faint.

“Yes. I have been alive for about two thousand years, and will most likely live for two thousand more thanks to the divine blood my father shared with my elven mother.” He pulled out a chunk of wood and a knife and started to whittle away. I was waiting for Lyra to speak, but found her passed out again, the news a bit too much for her newly stitched together body to handle.

“Do you have a kettle, Thalas, or do Demi-gods not drink tea?” I asked after digging through my bag to find my tea. Thalas handed me a brass kettle and a ornate teapot, we both sat quietly as I prepared the drinks. I poured him a cup, and then myself one and asked, “How long until we can head to Everglade with her?”

“Month, tops. Let me help.” He answered, sipping on the schoulding hot tea with ease.

******

Within a week I had Lyra eating solid foods. Thalas had plenty of medicinal herbs growing in his food forest, and the shaded forest had plenty of mushrooms I could identify, as well as ones I couldn’t but I grabbed those too. With the power of elixirs, good food, and daily walks with the help of Zephyra, Lyra was aware enough to actually begin her training.

“Wow, trained by a Demi-god son of the patron of beasts! Do you think you’ll be able to turn into a dire beast and rip heads off of enemies?” I imitated fighting a tiny man, making her laugh lightly. I was so happy to see her doing ok.

“I’ll be fine. You, Zephyra, Elysia, and Elara have been so patient with the delays, please. I need to do whatever I can to get well enough to leave. I can see that it is making my cousin worry.”

It was true. I could see Elysia praying non stop, only stopping to go to the baths, and blessing Lyra once a day, to Lyra’s protest. She told me she was fine waiting, but I knew that her and the bodyguard were both concerned about getting out of the forest.

Lost and stranded before the adventures even began. Rough start. I thought.

“You got this then. I support you starting. I won’t be able to join you, Thalas’s rules, but I am here to give you all the help you need outside of training.”

“Thanks Chef,” she smiled at me, the same one they would wear before we would get into mischief as kids, “You’re the best.”

My body slammed against the ground.

“Come at me again.” He said, standing open for attack, holding his blade staff gently, emerald eyes glinting with a hint of delight at me falling on my ass, yet again.

I leapt to my feet, muscles aching from training for the past two weeks, non-stop, and the glyphs were encouraging faster healing than even the high elves possessed. I was becoming strong, but I still couldn’t land a hit on that damn Thalas, cocky prick.

I swung my sword hoop, barely grazing his belly as he leapt away, tripping me in the process. I fell to the ground yet again and he roared with laughter, making even the birds stop singing for just a few moments.

“Alright, I’ve had enough, it’s break time. Go get some water, finish your packing. I have a few things to finish up before I show your party out of my forest, finally.”

He helped me to my feet, I dusted the dirt off my boots and gave him a bow.

“We all appreciate your hospitality you have given us.” I said.

“I never get guests. It was my pleasure. Not everyday you get to crown the new champion of Elyndor.” He bowed back.

******

Champion of a deity. What a joke. A celestial granted me to live, though with my whole self, I didn’t believe in their existence, or even if they cared about us. What a cruel choice to make.

I ran my fingers over the glyphs, the scars they left now matching the olive tone of my skin. Who am I now? A sew together toy of the gods, now here to do their bidding, or be ripped apart by oath-breaking. Thalas had explained this to me slowly as he taught me how to channel Elyndor through my body. I could now shift into two forms: the cockatrice, a rooster head, a raptors body and razor sharp claws and teeth. As well as a dire shape imitation of Zephyra, which I could not hold for very long, even with my god-given abilities.

He said in time you will grow strength to hold it. Just practice what he taught you and you’ll figure out how to honor a god you never prayed to.

I reassured myself and slipped my mossy shirt and cloak on, ready to go meet with the rest of my party at the edge of the food forest. They were all waiting for me, happily waving as I approached, seeing Kaelen had already saddled and prepared Zyphyra for travel.

“I guess I won’t get any stronger waiting around here.” I said, throwing my bags over her saddles then hopped on.

“Good because any longer and we would have had to leave you.” Elara replied, then with a swift kick of her feet into Aurelia’s ribs.The griffin and her riders moved along to meet Thalas.

I looked at Kaelen, who was lovingly petting his manticore’s chin, whispering kind words and giving her some dried liver as a treat. He waited over me while I was recovering from the ordeal. He was a good friend, how the hell did I gain this kind of loyalty when all I did was talk down to him our whole lives.

“Kaelen,” I quickly looked away, “Thanks. For everything. Let’s get going.” I kicked Zephyra gently and followed after my cousin, leaving Kaelen to follow after.

******

Thalas waited for us at the edge of the tree line, his bags thrown across his mount, a grand cockatrice with bright red comb and wattles, his green eyes piercing out from behind them. The elongated body of the beast was shimmering in dark scales, that caught the light and gave off rainbow shimmers, ran all the way down its neck until two leathery wings, useless for fighting, but each wing tip had three razor sharp claws that the creature could use to grab onto its prey. The powerful legs were enough for the cockatrice to never need to worry about its lack of proper front claws, sleek and strong legs were the most dangerous part of the beast. If you got caught unders it’s belly and near its rear talons, good luck getting out without being turned to ribbon. Finally its tail, tipped with a rattle and covered in a dark plumage. Truly, a mount worthy of a Demi-god.

“Are you all ready to go? We must leave before the suns dip behind the canopy.” Thalas gave a flick of the reins, “Hyah! On Viperclaw.” The large elf and his mount vanished into the forest. We were off.