It took Aurelithae a lot of effort not to let out the exhilaration in a bellow coursing through her veins as she tautened her grip about Albrion’s waist. In one second, they peacefully soared the pallid white skies, passing just under the billowing clouds, then in the next Colciorh plunged straight towards their destination, a small quarry that fell into ruin after the mines lost most of their natural riches. The dormant elementals proved generous before and in the duration of their slumber, replenished and nurtured precious stones, gems and chromatic growths. Though only fools ventured in for these riches.

  Colciorh and Albrion chuckled as they heard the little whimper escape Aurelithae. Tears welled in her eyes, her curvy snouts nostrils flared wider than ever before, whilst her lips undulated at the onslaught of winds as they the soil sheathed in the golden grass of the isle approached in a velocity she never regretted wishing to experience. She expected their arrival would be quite explosive, unseen waves of air to ripple across the field. Contrary to her expectations, Colciorh evened perfectly without disturbing the colorful assembly of daisies, buttercups hiding amongst the golden masses, and strange thistles of crimson, enveloped on the top of the highest grasses, tickling his underbelly of intersecting plates.

  “Come, carefully.” Albrion held his hand out after he leapt off into the thicket. Aurelithae quivered, then chuckled at the sight of her brother, at the sight of nature swallowing him waist below. As she reached to grab his arm, Aurelithae felt the sweet and lofty wine and the treats march up from her belly, burn her insides and vanish the dry taste of her mouth, replace it with an even viler. Though after some inhales and sorcery, she kept it within.

  With a clanking thud, she arrived to the firm soil, feeling grateful for its existence. She let out a sigh, still exhilarated from the flight over the isle. Aurelithae turned her gaze at the ruined watchtower encircled by almost equally high trees bearing golden and crimson canopies. “Do you think the elementals granted them sojourn?” Aurelithae asked what lingered on her mind since the last drop in the wine’s bottle flown down into their bellies and Albrion mentioned a group of blackguards, who took the abandoned mines as their homestead. The perfect subjects to test out the sharpness of her new blade.

  “Doubt it. Unless they have an elementalist with them, but if they had one, well they wouldn’t be here.” Albrion said, patting the beak-shaped muzzle of Colciorh. From his bag, he heaved out a hefty chunk of venison, a small gift given for the quick and safe passage, a small habit of dragon riders.

  “Are you ready?” Albrion turned, his hand remaining on Densfaeng (Fang) resting in its scabbard. Dumath manifested right beside him, her luscious hair bound in the same high tail as Aurelithae’s, wore the same leather ensemble fitted with crisply contoured enameled plates. Aurelithae let out a sigh as if it was her first opportunity to draw blood, then nodded.

  “You should charm him now; it will be good practice for this night.

  Aurelithae lightly shook her head as she arrived into the lengthening shadows of the meager forest. “Not yet. After we slain the last.”

  The inlaid lines on the fuller, the pommel all glowed in the pink and snow-white shades of her flesh as the runic decorations sensed the strengthening magia flowing across Aurelithae’s arms as she held the blade above her head, receiving, then parrying the blow aimed at her helmeted head. The sharp edge scraped against the hilt of the orkhish bandit’s axe, where the rough wooden hilt changed into the middling metal head with a wild curve. Then the gems shades shifted into a fiery orange as the sharp, angular edges seared through the wood, and with a swift swing, cleaved the head off the body.

  “A little blood would fit you.

  Her prismatic pupils glowed ethereally, as they shared their visions, allowing her to turn in time. A dwarven bandit with bronzish skin charged, carrying a heavy mace twice his size, its oval head riveted at the blunt points. With almost dance like moves, Aurelithae turned round, drawn a wild arc with her blade just as the dwarf reached her. The decorations on her blade still shimmered with the red, gold and amber shade of flames as it cut through the tattered cloth and rusty armor, slicing the ribcage and the belly of the corpulent dwarf. The scent of burned flesh and cloth irritated and stimulated her nostrils. The dwarf shrieked one last, as small sparks lit a greater flame beneath his skin and flesh, burning his bones first into ash. A strange scenery it was even for her, as the small form crumpled into itself before turning to a spot of ash in the sand.

  Near the slanting entrance, Albrion drawn out his satiated blade from the pallid, desiccated corpse of a half-aevhe and let it fall and roll back to the remains of the campfire. Three more laid along the trail of steps leading where he stood, and he turned with a prideful gaze as he watched Aurelithae wipe the little blood of her gifted sword with a silk cloth.

  “Well done sister!” He clapped his hands loudly, not fearing the rest of the bandits learning of their presence. Aurelithae smiled and wondered for a moment if his brother worried how she would react for the first kill. Many a times during their past practices, he drilled it into her the nausea that follows extinguishing another life of an elevated, intelligent kin.

  “Do you think he knows?

  “There is no need for this brother.” Then she resisted when he started checking for any cuts.

  “Sorry, but father would kill me if his most prized child received any indentation.” Aurelithae knew he exaggerated a bit. She sighed and lifted off her helmet for a bit, held it under her pit.

  “You know, it is just you doubting yourself and uncle.” Aurelithae said, though she wished the words wouldn’t have flown out, but as he chuckled her heart eased a bit.

  “I shall always doubt myself sister. Doubt is not an enemy, but an ally and even may be a friend keeping us walking the path.” Albrion straightened himself, a little nonchalantly as he tried mimicking Augermil. “And I shall always be the worrisome brother to you. You are my dearest sister, and I vowed to protect you.”

  “Vowed to whom?” Aurelithae asked, though had her suspicion to the answer. Confirmed by the slightly morose gaze on Albrion’s countenance as they entered the throat of the mine.

  “Mother.” He stopped and said with a mirthless smile. “And to you, the day I held you first, the day you cried and laughed for the first time. Though I also feared both happened for my then dishevelment.” Though it was a hazy memory, she could recall the strong stench of sweat, see the child holding him high in a grip neither firm nor soft.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  “Are you prepared?” Aurelithae nodded.

  “Please. I surrend…” Before the Sylvan-Kin bandit could surrender, Aurelithae jabbed her blade into his throat, watched as the juicy blood filled his mouth, choked his words before he went limp on the croaking scaffold. She swept her blade to the right, letting the blood splutter to the side with a soft echo in the cavernous chamber where even Albrion could straighten up after navigating through half-hunched down. Though it seemed at a first glance, he struggled with three of the remaining bandits, Aurelithae recognized he was simply savoring the battle.

  “Now is the time.I wish you were with us.

  Whilst deep in thought, watching as Albrion blurred and sliced two at the same time, one diagonally across his chest, the other pierced through her half-marred head bereft of hair, a roguish bandit slipped up the scaffold, carefully kept it silent with deliberate movements. Only the mild hiss of her dagger’s unsheathing alerted Aurelithae as Dumath observed the scuffle come to an end below them.

  Aurelithae parried the strike aimed at her back where no plates protected, kicked the bandit in her bulging stomach before thrusting her blade deep into her bust. Blood and something white poured onto the aging wood, then as the corpse tumbled back, brought down the whole structure with itself. Albrion turned away from the enervated corpse, eyes bulged white at the reverberating roar of crumbling wood.

  “Next time, I stay away from old structures.” He sighed relief hearing her voice after a soft groan whilst pushing off a beam from her abdomen.

  “The pull will still remain there.” Albrion added as she pulled her up swiftly.

  For a moment, she gathered her thoughts, focused and rid herself of useless ones as she prepared herself to charm Albrion. No more bandits remained; no more fighting could buy her time. Yet she found it impossible, and simply walked towards the exit. Albrion stood still before the crumbled scaffold then turned towards the exit with a piercing gaze, Aurelithae followed and looked worried at the presence of Grimslaukh.

  “I wish you a belated day of your birth, my dear Aurelithae.” He said with a faint smile across his contrasting lips of black and white. Flagrant confusion plastered Aurelithae’s visage, but quickly wiped it off, turning back at Albrion.

  “Could you not have waited?” He asked with another tired sigh escaping him.

  “Have I timed it not well?” Genuine confusion appeared on Grimslaukh, an expression Aurelithae could never in her life imagined upon the visage of Higher Beings.

  Before she could say anything, Albrion took her hand and knelt down before her. “Forgive me Sister, for hiding this from you for so long.” He pressed his forehead upon her snow-white hand, the warmth of his body soothed Aurelithae a little.

  “Rise up brother, there is no need for apologies.” At once, the relief washed away all her previous worries, the forming guilt of dominating the mind of her beloved brother. “I understand.” She murmured as his dark onyx eyes looked into hers.

  “How sweet.” Grimslaukh broke their moment.

  “I take, it is time.” Albrion turned at Grimslaukh, a sour expression momentarily manifested upon his face, but vanished as Grimslaukh lightly nodded his head under the voluminous hood. A foreboding feeling filled both siblings.

  Noticing the worry in Aurelithae, sensing her thoughts about Calaviril, Drussaev and a few others, Grimslaukh placed one hand upon her shoulder, though she felt not the touch of flesh, the warmth or coldness of it. She just felt the existence of the hand. “Fear not, I have plenty a gift to ease your worries of the night before us. First shall be the safety of those you still hold in your heart with unwavering affection.” Then as quick as he appeared before the two of them, Grimslaukh was gone. Vanished before she could pry sufficient confirmation of what this safety entailed.

  “Come, a long night is ahead of us before a new dawn arises over the world.” Aurelithae nodded, kept her pace walking side by side with Albrion as the pale glow entered the cavern.

  “Nervous?” Soon as she stepped inside her room, still a little sore from the little adventure, her head snapped towards her bed. Grimslaukh sat there, Typhaon on his lap laid out like a lazed cat. Purring as the tenebrous fingers scraped his ridged back. Beyond the bed, four more figures stood in solemn silence, draped in all black, hoods drawn over their heads, their faces hidden behind masks inlaid with silvern spiral of a strange iridescence.

  Unease crept into her heart at their sudden appearance, knowing the corridor teemed with life still. Servants strolled behind her other siblings, guards stood by the corners and doors, patrolled alongside the children of the Elhyrissiar. Yet Grimslaukh sat there without a worry, which she envied him for. “A little. But I can venture a guess it is normal on days as fateful as this shall be.”

  The door opened and for a moment, Aurelithae felt her heart stop, her breath hitch as Akaerith stepped inside with four other handmaidens. All draped in ceremonial cloaks. In haste, she prepared to charm them, but Grimslaukh ceased her effort, standing now on her right, one hand on her shoulder. Akaerith and the four bowed before him. “Everything is in order, my lord and friend.”

  A hollow smile curled upon his umbral blistered lips. Then Akaerith turned and knelt with her fellow handmaidens before Aurelithae, frozen from confusion. Each renewed the vows they made on her day of birth. A pang of relief washed over Aurelithae, and though many questions manifested in her head, she knew the present was not idyllic for answers. Though some vague memories not of her own slipped into her mind, seeing her mother in white, fur lined robes, the dire expression of one knowing they shall not return home, one bidding farewell to their loved ones written upon, whilst the owner of the visions stood by her side. In the frigid vistas, with grim mountain peaks and ridges in the distance.

  “Sister.” The door creaked open, and the sweet voice’s owner froze–just as Aurelithae–with terror. Calaviril held a small box in her hand, then a whimper escaped her lips as a gold tinted fair hand draped in black clamped over them. Her eyes shut in the same instant as the door. Her arms slumped back to her sides, and the box rolled right before Aurelithae’s feet, who remained stiff.

  “As promised. She shall be taken away from the city, to safety.” Grimslaukh snapped her fingers and two more figures manifested in the room.

  Aurelithae slowly regained back his calm, watching the two masked figures coil ropes around Calaviril’s wrists and ankles. Her gaze trailed along the floor, onto the small box which fell out from her hand. She bent down, opened it to see the gift, a necklace matching the one around Calaviril’s swan neck. With a little hesitation, she lifted it out and put it around hers, strange feelings whirring within her.

  “Where shall she be taken?” She asked, calm and collected once more.

  “For now, she shall leave the city with the Laneas family. Then to the north.” Aurelithae looked at her sister lifted by the two black-robed men. Then walked over to Akaerith, her hands cupped around her chief handmaiden’s.

  “Please, go with her.” Akaerith smiled at her, resisted not the suggestion.

  “Be safe my lady.” Once they vanished, Aurelithae checked her blade, glinting under the candle light. A long night awaited all of them, though at least, one weight has dropped from her consciousness. For the time being.